Different Types of Sponges
Sponges are aquatic animals that mostly inhabit the marine environment. However, some of these are also found in freshwater reservoirs. According to the Animal Kingdom hierarchy, sponges come under phylum Porifera. Hence, they are also referred to as 'Poriferans'. To know more about the different types of sponges read on...
The sponges do not have a definite form. Their body is delicate and filled with a soft substance known as mesohyl resembling jellies. Being aquatic creatures, the body of sponges absorbs fluids, water, oxygen and food with relative ease than other animals. Sponges appear more like plants however, in reality they are animals which belong to a group called porifera.
An interesting point to note about sponges is that they don't possess a digestive system, circulatory system or nervous system. These organisms extract food out of water entering their body through pores. Since the sponges need some kind of substrates like rocks to remain stable in the sea, they are also termed as sessile - sedentary creatures. There are more than 7000 sponge species and possibly more would be discovered in the future. The major forms include encrusting-sheets, mounds, tubes and upright-sheets.
Sponges are known to feed on bacteria however, in some cases microbes live inside their body as endosymbionts - an organism living in symbiosis with its host and inside its body. Few sponges have also turned carnivores where food is scarcely available.
Types of Sponges
The sponges are primarily classified on the basis of characteristic structures, for example spicules that are used to reinforce the mesohyl. Different types of sponges or classes formed due to this process of reinforcing are explained below.
Calcarea or Calcareous Sponges
Classification of sponges is based on their reinforcing structures. Here, the structures in case of calcareous sponges are known as spicules. They form the skeleton of calcareous sponges and are made up of calcium carbonate. They are just about 10 cm in length however, encompass all the different types of body plans such as follows:
They are made of spicules just like the calcareous sponges; in this type however, spicules are formed of fibers produced from a protein called 'spongin'. They are biggest of all and form 90% of the total number. Demosponges live in both warm and cold areas of the sea. They reproduce sexually as well as asexually. These organisms exhibit great variety in their form and are much more diversified than any other class. Asexual reproduction takes place by means of gemmules and budding. Gemmules are internal buds capable of development in favorable conditions; they are otherwise dormant. According to Mr. Gordon Love, a scientist working in California University, demosponges came into existence as early as 635 million years ago i.e. in the Neoproterozoic era.
Glass Sponges
They are not very common and are generally found at great depths in oceans. Their body is cup-shaped and the spicules are made up of siliceous compounds. Glass sponges live for 15,000 years and they are the longest living creatures on earth. They are very much sensitive to external stimuli and therefore, capable of reacting in quick time owing to the electric impulse they generate.
There is another criterion for further classifying the glass sponges i.e. their ability to build reefs. The different types of sponges are presented below.
Based on common occurrence, the different forms of sponges are described below.
Vase Sponge: This type of sponge is commonly found in the region between Caribbean islands and the coast of Florida state of USA. It grows about 40-60 cm in diameter. The vase sponge is found in different colors like brown, red and purple; scientific name of this sponge is Ircinia campana.
Barrel Sponge: It is the kind of sponge that can grow up to 1.5 m in length. The barrel sponge is also known as Volcano Sponge, Siliceous Sponge and Great Barrel Sponge. An adult person can easily fit into the barrel-shaped structure of this sponge. Specialty of this sponge is that its surface is marked with deep ridges.
Azure Vase Sponge: The Azure Vase Sponge is characterized by a tubular and vase-like shape. The outer surface is marked with pits and a network of grooves. These sponges can grow up to 30 cm in length. Pits found on the surface of Azure Vase Sponges are 0.5 to 1 cm in diameter.
Tube Sponge: The tube sponge, as its name suggests is formed of thick-walled, tube-like structures connected at their base. The sponge grows up to 1 m in length.
Stovepipe Sponge: The stovepipe sponges have a tubular body and they grow up to 150 cm in length. Their body structure is a bit similar to the tube sponges. All these tubes which constitute a stovepipe structure are connected at their base. These sponges release toxic chemicals to deter their predators.
The sponge species create different forms of reefs and thereby increase the biological diversity of oceans. Reefs are beneficial from the point of maintaining the population of fish and other marine creatures. These organisms lead a long life and are known to grow slowly. Efforts are being taken worldwide to save them. Experts suggest that regions inhabited by sponges need to be declared as marine protected areas (MPA). It is our collective responsibility to preserve these neglected yet important aquatic creatures.
An interesting point to note about sponges is that they don't possess a digestive system, circulatory system or nervous system. These organisms extract food out of water entering their body through pores. Since the sponges need some kind of substrates like rocks to remain stable in the sea, they are also termed as sessile - sedentary creatures. There are more than 7000 sponge species and possibly more would be discovered in the future. The major forms include encrusting-sheets, mounds, tubes and upright-sheets.
Sponges are known to feed on bacteria however, in some cases microbes live inside their body as endosymbionts - an organism living in symbiosis with its host and inside its body. Few sponges have also turned carnivores where food is scarcely available.
Types of Sponges
 Azure Vase Sponge |
 Barrel Sponge |
 Orange Elephant Ear Sponge |
 Red Boring Sponge |
 Red Sponge |
 Row Pore Rope Sponge |
 Tube Sponge |
 Stovepipe Sponge |
 Strawberry Vase Sponge |
The sponges are primarily classified on the basis of characteristic structures, for example spicules that are used to reinforce the mesohyl. Different types of sponges or classes formed due to this process of reinforcing are explained below.
Calcarea or Calcareous Sponges
Classification of sponges is based on their reinforcing structures. Here, the structures in case of calcareous sponges are known as spicules. They form the skeleton of calcareous sponges and are made up of calcium carbonate. They are just about 10 cm in length however, encompass all the different types of body plans such as follows:
- Asconoid (Indefinite shape)
- Syconoid (Tubular body)
- Leuconoid (Flagellated chambers)
They are made of spicules just like the calcareous sponges; in this type however, spicules are formed of fibers produced from a protein called 'spongin'. They are biggest of all and form 90% of the total number. Demosponges live in both warm and cold areas of the sea. They reproduce sexually as well as asexually. These organisms exhibit great variety in their form and are much more diversified than any other class. Asexual reproduction takes place by means of gemmules and budding. Gemmules are internal buds capable of development in favorable conditions; they are otherwise dormant. According to Mr. Gordon Love, a scientist working in California University, demosponges came into existence as early as 635 million years ago i.e. in the Neoproterozoic era.
Glass Sponges
They are not very common and are generally found at great depths in oceans. Their body is cup-shaped and the spicules are made up of siliceous compounds. Glass sponges live for 15,000 years and they are the longest living creatures on earth. They are very much sensitive to external stimuli and therefore, capable of reacting in quick time owing to the electric impulse they generate.
There is another criterion for further classifying the glass sponges i.e. their ability to build reefs. The different types of sponges are presented below.
- Reef Building Sponges: They are made up of funnel-shaped Heterochone calyx or Finger Goblet Sponge that grows 1.5m in height. It is found in shades of yellow and white color. Other two species of reef-builders are Aphrocallistes vastus also known as Cloud Sponge and the Farrea occa. The unique characteristic of Cloud sponges is their mitten-like outgrowth. They are funnel-shaped and have a height of 2 metres. Farrea occa is the biggest of them and has a height of 15 m.
- Non-reef Building Sponges: There are four species of non-reef builders - white in color with a height of about 50 cm. Staurocalyptus dowlingi, Acanthascus platei, Acanthascus cactus and Rabdocalyptus dawsoni are the different non-reef builders.
Based on common occurrence, the different forms of sponges are described below.
Vase Sponge: This type of sponge is commonly found in the region between Caribbean islands and the coast of Florida state of USA. It grows about 40-60 cm in diameter. The vase sponge is found in different colors like brown, red and purple; scientific name of this sponge is Ircinia campana.
Barrel Sponge: It is the kind of sponge that can grow up to 1.5 m in length. The barrel sponge is also known as Volcano Sponge, Siliceous Sponge and Great Barrel Sponge. An adult person can easily fit into the barrel-shaped structure of this sponge. Specialty of this sponge is that its surface is marked with deep ridges.
Azure Vase Sponge: The Azure Vase Sponge is characterized by a tubular and vase-like shape. The outer surface is marked with pits and a network of grooves. These sponges can grow up to 30 cm in length. Pits found on the surface of Azure Vase Sponges are 0.5 to 1 cm in diameter.
Tube Sponge: The tube sponge, as its name suggests is formed of thick-walled, tube-like structures connected at their base. The sponge grows up to 1 m in length.
Stovepipe Sponge: The stovepipe sponges have a tubular body and they grow up to 150 cm in length. Their body structure is a bit similar to the tube sponges. All these tubes which constitute a stovepipe structure are connected at their base. These sponges release toxic chemicals to deter their predators.
The sponge species create different forms of reefs and thereby increase the biological diversity of oceans. Reefs are beneficial from the point of maintaining the population of fish and other marine creatures. These organisms lead a long life and are known to grow slowly. Efforts are being taken worldwide to save them. Experts suggest that regions inhabited by sponges need to be declared as marine protected areas (MPA). It is our collective responsibility to preserve these neglected yet important aquatic creatures.
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