If bright yellow cartoon character Spongebob Squarepants were a living being, he'd be a poriferan, because he's a sponge, and that's what poriferan means. Now, this type of sponge is the real, sea-sponge variety, not the man-made cleaning implement variety. The sponges we see in grocery stores and beauty supply stores can be a little confusing - for example, the sponge you buy to clean you sink will likely be manmade, while the sponge you buy to clean your face may be a real sea sponge that has been dried out, cleaned, and packaged for sale...
Spongebob would be one of the strangest, funniest poriferans around; other types would include Calcarea, demo, and "glass" sponges. Each type of sponge is a living thing that can regenerate its own form after being damaged - at least, up to a certain point. These fascinating creatures have unique cellular compositions, and they are usually found underwater, where they naturally thrive.
A sponge functions in a similar way to a home's chimney, which takes in fuel (wood) and then expels a by-product, smoke. In the cases of sponges, water from the surrounding sea moves into the sponge, and then water is expelled through an opening at the top of the sponge. The body of a typical sea sponge is crafted from a collagen material that has natural elasticity - in fact, many beauty products with collagen ingredients (such as the very pricey Crème de la Mer) are derived from marine sources.
To learn more about the world of sponges, grab a science textbook that features examples of marine life. By learning about the cellular composition and structure of sponges and how they behave in our oceans, you'll gain a greater understanding of these amazing living things. Of course, you can always tune in to Spongebob Squarepants (who inhabits an undersea home in fictional Bikini Bottom) to see an example of a poriferan at its most ridiculous!
- Types
Spongebob would be one of the strangest, funniest poriferans around; other types would include Calcarea, demo, and "glass" sponges. Each type of sponge is a living thing that can regenerate its own form after being damaged - at least, up to a certain point. These fascinating creatures have unique cellular compositions, and they are usually found underwater, where they naturally thrive.
- Characteristics
A sponge functions in a similar way to a home's chimney, which takes in fuel (wood) and then expels a by-product, smoke. In the cases of sponges, water from the surrounding sea moves into the sponge, and then water is expelled through an opening at the top of the sponge. The body of a typical sea sponge is crafted from a collagen material that has natural elasticity - in fact, many beauty products with collagen ingredients (such as the very pricey Crème de la Mer) are derived from marine sources.
To learn more about the world of sponges, grab a science textbook that features examples of marine life. By learning about the cellular composition and structure of sponges and how they behave in our oceans, you'll gain a greater understanding of these amazing living things. Of course, you can always tune in to Spongebob Squarepants (who inhabits an undersea home in fictional Bikini Bottom) to see an example of a poriferan at its most ridiculous!