Sponges (Coloring)

Since sponges look like plants, it is understandable why early biologists thought
they were plants. Today, we know that sponges are simple, multicellular animals
in the Kingdom Animalia, Phylum Porifera. This phylum is thought to represent Name:__________________________________________________ Date:______
the transition from unicellular animals to multicellular animals. Most (but not all)
sponges are asymmetrical and have no definite shape. Sponges, like all animals,
are eukaryotic - meaning their cells have a nucleus. Porifera in Latin means "pore- Reproduction for sponges can be accomplished both sexually and asexually. There
bearer" and refers to the many pores or openings in these animals. Because of are three ways for a sponge to reproduce asexually: budding, gemmules, and
these pores, a sponge can soak up and release water. At one time, real sponges regeneration. Sponges can simply reproduce by budding, where a new sponge
were used for cleaning and bathing. Today, most are artificially made. grows from older ones and eventually break off. Color the adult sponge (J)
pink and all the buds (G) you can find red. Sponges can also reproduce by
All adult sponges are sessile, meaning they are attached to some surface. Since
regeneration, where missing body parts are re-grown. People who harvest
they cannot move, sponges cannot pursue their food. Instead, they are filter
sponges often take advantage of this by breaking off pieces of their catch and
feeders, meaning they obtain their food by straining the water for small bits of
throwing them back in the water, to be harvested later. Finally, sponges can
food like bacteria, algae or protozoans.
reproduce by creating gemmules - which is a group of archaeocytes covered by a
Sponges exhibit less specialization (adaptation of a cell for a particular function) hard outer covering. Color the gemmule (H) yellow.
of cells than most invertebrates. The primitive structure of a sponge consists of
Sexual reproduction occurs when one sponge releases sperm into the water. This
only two layers of cells separated by a non-living jelly like substance. The outer
sperm travels to another sponge and fertilizes its eggs. The larva form will then
layer of the sponge is the epidermis which is made of flat cells called epithelial
swim to another location using its flagella where it will grow into an adult sponge.
cells. Color all the epithelial cells (B) of the epidermis peach or pink.
Most sponge species are hermaphrodites; they can produce both eggs and sperm.
The inner layer consists of collar cells (A) whose function is to circulate water
Questions:
through the sponge. They do this by swishing their flagella which pulls water
through the incurrent pore - water then travels out the osculum at the top of the
1. What did early biologists think sponges were? ______________________
sponge. As water passes through the sponge in this way, cells absorb food and
oxygen and waste is excreted. Color the osculum (D) dark blue, the 2. Sponges belong to the Kingdom _____________________________________
incurrent pores (C) light blue. Color the inside of the sponge where and the Phylum ____________________________________
water circulates the same light blue as you colored the incurrent pores. 3. Sponges are [ unicellular / multicellular ] and [ prokaryotic / eukaryotic ]
Color all the collar cells (A) red.
In the jelly-like substance between the epidermis and the collar cells are cells 4. What type of symmetry do sponges have? _____________________________
called archaeocytes. The job of the archaeocytes is to travel 5. What does it mean to be “sessile”? ___________________________________
around distributing food and oxygen to the cells of the
epidermis. Because of the archaeocyts, scientists believe that 6. How do sponges get their food? ___________________________________
sponges evolved from protists. Color all of the 7. Water enters the sponge through the _______________________________
archaeocytes (E) green - look for them carefully. and leaves through the ________________________________
The body of the sponge would collapse if it did not have some 8. What helps circulate water through the sponge?________________________
type of supporting structure. Some sponges have a soft
9. What is the job of the amebocyte? _________________________________
network of protein fibers called spongin. Others have tiny,
hard particles called spicules. Many of these spicules also stick 10. What two substances give the sponge support? ________________________
out of the epidermis and provide the sponge with protection.
Most sponges have a combination of spicules and spongin, 11. Tiny sponges growing from the main body of the sponge
the ratio often determines how soft or hard the sponge is. are called _____________________________________________
Search for and color all the pointy spicules (F) brown.
12. What is a gemmule? ____________________________________________
13. What is a hermaphrodite? ______________________________

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