
Sponge - Wikipedia
Sponges are multicellular organisms consisting of jelly-like mesohyl sandwiched between two thin layers of cells, and usually have tube-like bodies full of pores and channels that allow water to …
Sponge | Definition, Features, Reproduction, & Facts | Britannica
Dec 7, 2025 · sponge, any of the primitive multicellular aquatic animals that constitute the phylum Porifera. They number approximately 5,000 described species and inhabit all seas, where they …
What is a sponge? - NOAA's National Ocean Service
While sponges, like corals, are immobile aquatic invertebrates, they are otherwise completely different organisms with distinct anatomy, feeding methods, and reproductive processes.
Sponge Animal Facts - A-Z Animals
Aug 6, 2025 · Sponges are one of the simplest, and perhaps oldest, animals on the entire planet. They are marine animals that are easily mistaken for plant life due to their lack of a nervous …
Earth's early sponges were soft: Scientists close fossil record gap
6 days ago · Sponges are among Earth's most ancient animals, but exactly when they evolved has long puzzled scientists. Genetic information from living sponges, as well as chemical …
Introduction to Porifera
Poriferans are commonly referred to as sponges. An early branching event in the history of animals separated the sponges from other metazoans. As one would expect based on their …
Sponges (Phylum Porifera): What Are They? - Biology Insights
Jul 30, 2025 · Sponges, classified under the phylum Porifera, are aquatic animals. They are among the earliest divergences in the animal kingdom, with fossil records dating back …
Porifera (sponges) | INFORMATION | Animal Diversity Web
Sponges are a diverse group of sometimes common types, with about 5000 species known across the world. Sponges are primarily marine, but around 150 species live in fresh water.
Sponge - Anatomy, Filtering, Reproduction | Britannica
Dec 7, 2025 · Sponges are unusual animals in that they lack definite organs to carry out their various functions. The most important structure is the system of canals and chambers, called a …
Facts About Sponges (Porifera) - ThoughtCo
Apr 30, 2025 · Sponges are primitive animals with no organs, living mostly in marine environments. There are three main sponge types: glass sponges, demosponges, and …