Category:Sponges

Sponges belong to the phylum Porifera. They are primitive, sessile, mostly marine, water dwelling, filter feeders that pump water through their bodies to filter out particles of food matter. Sponges represent the simplest of animals. With no true tissues (parazoa), they lack muscles, nerves, and internal organs.

A sponge should never be removed from the water. If this is done, air becomes trapped in the matrix of channels that line the inside of its body. With air blocking the path for planktonic food to reach its cells, this will cause it to starve.