Subboundary: the subboundary of protozoa
Door: the door of sponge.
There are about 5000 species, belonging to 80 families and 790 genera.
Distribution: Global distribution, from fresh water to ocean, from intertidal zone to deep sea.
Fossil record: It originated from Cambrian 570-500 million years ago; Among them, it has been confirmed that 390 genera originated from Cretaceous (1.35-65 million years ago).
Body shape: from tiny to 2 meters long; The largest species are distributed in Antarctica and the Caribbean.
Features: Different shapes; Individuals or groups; Most of these porous filter-feeding organisms are sessile and directly attached to the substrate; They have no organs and clear tissues, but their cell types are very complicated; Their bones either have no spicules containing calcium or silicon, or have no organic spongy hard protein fibers; Usually hermaphroditic, it can reproduce sexually or asexually.
Glass sponge or silicon sponge
Six-ball sponge (six-ball sponge)
There are about 600 species, which are marine and generally inhabit below the tidal level, but they are mostly found in the deep sea. Their bones are complex silica spicules, and the basic shape is hexagonal. Genus and species include: foam sponge, Aspergillus, Holascus and surrounding sponge.
calcareous sponge
There are about 400 kinds. Marine and calcareous spicules have needle-like or three to four shaped skeletons.
Genus includes: Acyssa, Clathrina, Leucilla, white branch sponge and bottle sponge.
Sponge. Sponge.
There are about 4000 marine and freshwater species. Their bones either have no silica spicules, organic spongy hard protein fibers, or neither. When spicules exist, the genera and species include: true sponge, penetrating sponge, Caribbean sponge (Cribochalina vasulum), carved sponge, orange sponge, bath sponge (Hipposongia communis), Caribbean fire sponge (Neofibularia nolitangere), finger sponge, bath sponge (Spongia officinalis) and needle sponge.
Coral sponge hard sponge
There are about 15 species. They are marine creatures, living in shallow or deep caves in tropical areas or on corals under caves. Their bones are based on calcium and contain silica spicules and organic fibers. A thin layer of sponge is formed on the calcareous substrate. The genus includes: Cercospora, Laminaria.
There is a phenomenon of germ layer reversal in the reproductive development of sponge.