Marine Invertebrates Quiz

Study Notes

Sponges are aquatic invertebrates with squishy, porous bodies.
They can be found on the seafloor and atop rocks.
Sponges are some of the oldest species on Earth, older than dinosaurs.
They can survive in some of the most hostile conditions.
Sponges have numerous pores which allow them to filter water and feed on the microorganisms contained within it.
Sponges were once used to wash dishes.
Sponges can reproduce with or without a mate.
Sponges can reproduce through regeneration, releasing a fragment of themselves that grows into a new sponge.
Sponges can live for thousands of years.

Cnidarians are a phylum of aquatic invertebrates that include coral and jellyfish.
Cnidarians are some of the first multicellular forms of life on Earth.
There are over 9,000 species of Cnidarians.
Most Cnidarians, like sponges, feed on microscopic organisms.
Some Cnidarians filter water through their pores to collect food.
Some Cnidarians, such as jellyfish, use spiny barbs that contain venom to disable their prey.
Cnidarians have a digestive chamber instead of a digestive tract.
Cnidarians swallow their prey and absorb the nutrients.
The size of Cnidarians ranges greatly.
Some polyps that make up a coral reef can be millimeters in size.
Some large jellyfish can reach lengths that are greater than the width of a football field.

Invertebrates are animals without a backbone that protects the spinal column.
They are most abundant in the marine environment because water provides support.
They play critical roles in marine ecosystems, including feeding and providing habitats.

Sponges are aquatic invertebrates with porous, squishy bodies.
They are considered some of the oldest species on Earth, with some fossils predating dinosaurs.
They can survive in a variety of harsh environments, including polar depths and caves with limited light and nourishment.
They filter water through their pores to feed on microorganisms.
They were historically used as household sponges.
They can reproduce through regeneration or by releasing larvae that swim to new locations.
Some sponges can live for thousands of years.

Cnidarians are a phylum of aquatic invertebrates that include corals, jellyfish, and sea anemones.
They are considered one of the first multicellular forms of life on Earth.
There are over 9,000 species with diverse structures, habitats, and feeding methods.
Most cnidarians feed on microorganisms.
Some filter water to collect food, while others use venomous stingers to paralyze prey.
They have a digestive chamber instead of a complete digestive tract.
They swallow prey, absorb nutrients, and discard waste.
Their size ranges from millimeters (polyps) to several meters (jellyfish).