Porifera

Sponges are what make up the phylum of Porifera. Sponges are filter feeds and get their food out of the water as it filters it through its walls.

Species 1:

Orange Puffball Sponge - Tethya aurantia(1)

Habitat: Attached to the rocky ground/reef of Kelp forest(2)

Niche: Food source for animals like turtles or sea stars(1)

Adaptation:(1)

• Developed special chemical to help defend it from its predators or other organisms that try to hurt/poison it.
  • Does not affect sponge.
  • Scientist are trying to use this chemical to find cures for diseases.

Life Cycle:(2)

• sexually (2-3 days)
  • Eggs = internally fertilized
  • released into water to develop and find a place to attach self
• asexually
  • form stalked buds
    • released into ocean
  • Breaks off from parent, but grows right next to it

Species 2: (not specific to Kelp forest)

Giant Barrel Sponge - Xestospongia muta (3)

Habitat: This kind of sponge lives in the deeper parts of coral reefs on sandy and muddy ground. (3)

Niche: Since they are filter feeders and they can grow to be so big, Barrel Sponges help increase the water clarity in the ocean. The filtering also helps control algae and coral populations as those are some things the sponge filters out of the water. It also provides shelter for other organisms in the reef. It plays a big part in producing Nitrogen into the water which makes it much more nutrients filled. (2)

Adaptations: Barrel sponges (and all sponges) have the ability to regrow themselves from just one single cell. If they are broken apart or crushed, it is very easy for them to just reform and make a whole new sponge organism. (1)