The Natural Filters of the Oceans
Poriferans, popularly known as sea sponges, are the most primitive invertebrates in the animal kingdom and play a vital role in aquatic ecosystems. Living attached to marine substrates, these organisms have a body permeated by pores, which give them their name.
Natural Operation
Porifers filter water through their pores, capturing microscopic food particles and helping to purify the environment. This function makes them essential for maintaining water quality in oceans, rivers and lakes. Despite their simplicity, sponges have specialized cells that help filter and transport nutrients.
Unique Features
Body symmetry: Irregular, without a defined pattern.
Simple structure: They do not have true tissues, nervous, digestive or circulatory systems.
Reproduction: It can be sexual, with the formation of gametes, or asexual, through budding or fragmentation.
Diversity and Importance
Found in various shapes, sizes and colors, porifers range from tiny species to large sponges that reach a meter in height. In addition to being ecologically important, some species have medicinal applications, such as in the production of antibiotic compounds.
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