Sponges (Porifera) are a group of animals that includes about 10,000 living species. 1 Dinosaurs 2 Mammals 3 Birds 4 Fish 5 Invertebrates 6 Reptiles 7 Gallery Tyrannosaurus Brown Rat (Rattus norvegicus) Common Bottlenose Dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) Eastern Grey Squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) Grey Whale (Eschrichtius robustus) Polar Bear (Ursus maritimus) American Herring Gull (Larus smithsonianus) Brown Pelican … They number approximately 5,000 described species and inhabit all seas, where they occur attached to surfaces from the intertidal zone to depths of 8,500 metres (29,000 feet) or more. The species Ephydatia muelleri found in the National Capital Region (NCR) is often green because of algae that lives in the structure of the sponge. Sea Sponge Care. Many have very specific needs for salinity, pH, temperature, and more. Members of this group include glass sponges, demosponges, and calcareous sponges. Our catalog now includes over 2,100 images that have been tagged with searchable physical characteristics.. We have begun to provide composite images of skeletal structures, a primary tool for identification, for 49 species morphs. The information (TEXT ONLY) provided by the Marine Life Information Network (MarLIN) is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.IMAGES and other media featured on this page are each governed by their own terms and conditions and they may or may not be available for reuse. Sponges What are sponges? Calcareous sponge (Leucetta chagosensis) is one of the most common species in tropical Australasia in shaded coral reef habitats.Sponge Clathria craspedia, a unique species found only on the biogeographic transition zone between northern tropical and southern temperate faunas on the east coast of Australia. Adult sponges are sessile animals that live attached to hard rocky surfaces, shells, or submerged objects. There are about 5,000 to 10,000 species of sponges found mostly in marine environments with about 100 species of freshwater sponges. Welcome to the Marine Species Identification Portal!. Sponge, any of the primitive multicellular aquatic animals that constitute the phylum Porifera. A single leucon with size 1 cm in diameter and 10cm high can fitter 20 liters of water everyday. Aquariums and experienced saltwater tank owners must keep these specific items stable to keep the sponge healthy. With this edition of the Sponge Guide, we present over 230 species morphs of sponges from the Caribbean region. You must also provide food for the sponge. For this reason, many people mistake freshwater sponges for algae, but sponges have a coarse texture, and are not slimy like algae. Sponge - Sponge - Classification: The general architecture of the skeleton is used to differentiate families, the particular combinations of spicular types to define genera, and the form and dimensions of single spicule types to differentiate species. A few species of sponges are carnivores. Sponges (Phylum Porifera) are a group of simple aquatic invertebrates that include three groups - Glass sponges, Demosponges and Calcareous sponges. Large populations of sponges play an important role in reducing the turbidity of coastal waters. Animals found in the Spongebob Squarepants franchise. The aim and contents of this portal, as well as the lastest updates, are treated in detail under about this site. Approximately 10,000 species of sponges are known at present, and the phylum is divided into three classes, viz., Calcarea or Calcispongiae, Hexactinellida or Hyalospongiae, and Demospongiae and about twelve orders chiefly on the type of skeleton. Introducing the 3rd Edition! The preys are slowly drawn into the sponge and digested. Soft bodied sponge, Chelonaplysilla, lacking a mineral skeleton. Different species of sponges require different types of care. This site offers information on thousands of different species in the world's oceans and seas.