![]() | All about sponges - and moreIn the underworld city of the coral reef ecosystem exist thousands of species of plants and animals, all of which co-exist with each other. These living organisms are either dependent on each other for food or for protection from predators, or both. One such animal, the sponge, is the definition of a symbiotic species, one that has working relationships with many plants and animals. Despite the fact that the sponge is the simplest form of a multi-cellular animal, containing no tissues or organs, this often brightly colored animal plays many important roles in the reef ecosystem. There are over 5,000 species of sponges throughout the world, the majority of which occur in saltwater. The sheer variety of shapes and sizes in which this animal appears is a unique characteristic - no other invertebrate (animal lacking a backbone) comes close. Some brightly colored sponges are even mistaken for coral. The tube sponge, one of the most common varieties on the reef, is distinguished by long tube-shaped growths, ranging in color from blue to purple. Another species that inhabits the Caribbean is the vase sponge, characterized by a large bell shape, either purple or red, which can grow to two feet wide by three feet high.
If sponges don't have organs or tissues, how can they possibly reproduce? Sponges have evolved the ability to mate as either a female or a male, increasing their odds for success. When it comes time to mate, one sponge assumes a female role, while the other plays the role of a male. Throughout their lifetime, sponges are capable of playing both the female and male role. Just like typical reproduction, the male sponge releases sperm, which enters the female sponge. Internal fertilization takes place, and after the larvae is released and has drifted for a few days, they descend onto a surface and begin growing.
Sponges are commonly observed throughout
the coral reef ecosystem. Of the vast amount of species that exist, only
17 species of sponges are commercially valuable, comprised of the
colorless variety seen in kitchens and bathrooms around the world. The
majority of sponges, however, are vividly colored contributing to the
rainbow of life that exists below the sea. And like most other
inhabitants of the coral reef ecosystem, the valuable role of sponges
cannot be underestimated.
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