Porifera: Scottish Anatomist and Zoologist Robert Edmond

Scottish Anatomist and Zoologist Robert Edmond Grant proposed the name Porifera (L. Porus, pore and ferre, to bear). The representatives of Phylum Porifera are also known as Sponges. They are simple types of aquatic invertebrates. This phylum contains about 10000 species; among them, most of the species are Marine and some are freshwater (about 100 species). Their body is asymmetrical or radially symmetrical with a variety of sizes and colors. They can prefer to live in tidal zones to almost ... Phylum Porifera means “pore-bearing” animals . They are simple, multicellular organisms with bodies full of holes (pores) that help circulate water and filter food particles. Unlike more advanced animals, sponges do not have true tissues or organs. General characteristics of Phylum Porifera Kingdom: Animalia Habitat: Aquatic, mostly marine, few are terrestrial Habit: They are solitary or colonial. Grade of organization: cellular grade of body Shape: Body shape is variable, mostly cylinder shaped Symmetry: Asymmetrical or radially symmetrical. Germ layer: Diploblastic animals. The adult body wall contains two layers, outer dermal layer and inner gastral layer. In between these two layers, there is a gelatinous and non-cellular mesoglea ... Porifera are all aquatic, mostly marine except one family Spongillidae which lives in freshwater. They are sessile and sedentary and grow like plants. The body shape is vase or cylinder-like, asymmetrical, or radially symmetrical.