The Sponge Quiz

Sponges

• Sponges belong to the phylum Porifera
• The main characteristic of a sponge's body is that it is porous, with a network of pores and channels that allow water to flow through
• Sponges obtain food and oxygen by filtering water through their pores and channels, using specialized cells called choanocytes to capture food particles

Meaning of Porifera

• The term "Porifera" comes from the Latin words "porus" meaning "pore" and "ferre" meaning "to bear", referring to the sponge's porous body

Evolutionary Relationship of Sponges

• Sponges may have an evolutionary relationship with other animals, but their exact position in the animal kingdom is still uncertain

Coelenterates

• The term Coelenterata encompasses two phyla: Cnidaria and Ctenophora
• The term Coelenterata comes from the Greek words "koilos" meaning "hollow" and "enteron" meaning "intestine", referring to the coelenterate's body cavity
• Coelenterates have a body form that is radially symmetrical, meaning they have a central axis with body parts arranged around it
• Coelenterates obtain food by capturing prey using stinging cells called nematocysts
• The main characteristic of coelenterates' tissue organization is that they have two layers of cells: an outer ectoderm and an inner endoderm, with a gel-like substance called mesoglea in between