What are the characteristics of Demospongiae?

The demosponges comprise 95% of the world’s sponges and include the most colourful species. They range in size from small, encrusting forms, through to large irregular masses. They have spicules (tiny needle-like structures that support the body’s form) of silica dioxide and/or spongin.

What is the common name for Demospongiae?

Therefore, demosponges are also called coralline sponges.

How do you identify Demospongiae?

Members of Demospongiae are easily distinguished from those of the Hexactinellida because they have no six-rayed spicules. They possess a leuconoid structure, with a folded choanoderm . The pinacoderm is continuous, and the mesohyl is characteristically thickened.

Where is Demospongiae found?

The Demospongiae is the largest Class in the Sponge Phylum (Porifera), it contains over 90% of living sponges, and nearly all the larger species. They can be found at all depths in both fresh and salt water. The skeleton can be siliceous, spongin, or both. The spicules are either simple or four-rayed.

What are the two groups of Demospongiae?

Demosponges other than the Homoscleromorpha are split into two major groups, the Tetractinomorpha and the Ceractinomorpha. These two groups share characters that indicate common descent such as a distinctive larval type and the presence of spongin.

Where are Demospongiae found?

Class Demospongiae. The Demospongiae is the largest Class in the Sponge Phylum (Porifera), it contains over 90% of living sponges, and nearly all the larger species. They can be found at all depths in both fresh and salt water. The skeleton can be siliceous, spongin, or both.

How many species of Demospongiae are there?

Phylum Porifera All recent freshwater sponges belong to the suborder Spongillina of the order Haplosclerida (Demospongiae) currently divided into six families, 47 genera, and 238 species (Manconi and Pronzato, 2002, 2007, 2008, 2011; Van Soest et al., 2012).

Are sea sponges alive?

Sea sponges are one of the world’s simplest multi-cellular living organisms. Yes, sea sponges are considered animals not plants. But they grow, reproduce and survive much as plants do. They have no central nervous system, digestive system or circulatory system – and no organs!

Is SpongeBob a cheese or a sponge?

Role in SpongeBob SquarePants SpongeBob is a good-natured, naive, and enthusiastic sea sponge. In The SpongeBob Musical, his exact species of animal is identified: Aplysina fistularis, a yellow tube sponge that is common in open waters.

Is SpongeBob a sea sponge?

In SpongeBob SquarePants, the main character is a sea sponge. The series’ creator, Stephen Hillenburg, was a marine science teacher and thought that the sponge was a fascinating and underrepresented animal.

What is Demospongiae?

Demospongiae represents the dominant class of living sponges, representing more than 90% of all those alive today. Few demosponges have hard skeletons, leaving behind a sparse fossil record compared to other classes.

What is another name for demosponges?

Therefore, demosponges are also called coralline sponges . The Demospongiae have an ancient history. The first demosponges may have appeared during the Precambrian deposits at the end of the Cryogenian “Snowball Earth” period.

What type of spicules do Demosponges have?

Demosponges have the most complex sponge body form with monoaxon or tetraxon spicules. With the majority of spicules made of silica, this class is included in the major sponge group Silicea.

How do demosponges support other organisms?

Many demosponges support other organisms (including sea turtles and angelfish) by being a source of food. Demosponges have the most complex sponge body form with monoaxon or tetraxon spicules. With the majority of spicules made of silica, this class is included in the major sponge group Silicea.