Porifères

Porifères, commonly known as sponges, are a phylum of simple multicellular aquatic animals. They belong to the kingdom Animalia and are characterized by their porous bodies and the absence of true tissues and organs. Sponges are sessile, meaning they live attached to a substrate, and are found in all oceans of the world, from shallow coastal waters to the deep sea.

The body of a sponge consists of a hollow cavity lined with specialized cells called choanocytes, which have flagella that create a current of water. This water current brings in food particles and oxygen and expels waste. Other cells within the sponge's body are responsible for digestion, reproduction, and structural support. The skeleton of a sponge can be composed of spicules, which are needle-like structures made of calcium carbonate or silica, or spongin, a flexible protein.

Sponges are filter feeders, extracting microscopic organisms and organic debris from the water. Their reproduction can be sexual, with individuals releasing sperm and eggs into the water, or asexual, through budding or fragmentation. Sponges play a vital role in marine ecosystems by filtering large volumes of water, contributing to water clarity, and providing habitat for other small organisms. They exhibit a wide diversity of shapes, sizes, and colors, adapted to various marine environments.