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  1. Sponge - Wikipedia

    Sponges are multicellular organisms consisting of jelly-like mesohyl sandwiched between two thin layers of cells, and usually have tube-like bodies full of pores and channels that allow water to circulate …

  2. Sponge | Definition, Features, Reproduction, & Facts | Britannica

    Dec 7, 2025 · sponge, any of the primitive multicellular aquatic animals that constitute the phylum Porifera. They number approximately 5,000 described species and inhabit all seas, where they occur …

  3. What is a sponge? - NOAA's National Ocean Service

    While sponges, like corals, are immobile aquatic invertebrates, they are otherwise completely different organisms with distinct anatomy, feeding methods, and reproductive processes.

  4. Sponge Animal Facts - A-Z Animals

    Aug 6, 2025 · Sponges are one of the simplest, and perhaps oldest, animals on the entire planet. They are marine animals that are easily mistaken for plant life due to their lack of a nervous system, …

  5. Porifera (sponges) | INFORMATION | Animal Diversity Web

    Sponges are a diverse group of sometimes common types, with about 5000 species known across the world. Sponges are primarily marine, but around 150 species live in fresh water.

  6. Sponges (Phylum Porifera): What Are They? - Biology Insights

    Jul 30, 2025 · Sponges, classified under the phylum Porifera, are aquatic animals. They are among the earliest divergences in the animal kingdom, with fossil records dating back approximately 600 million …

  7. Earth's early sponges were soft: Scientists close fossil record gap

    2 days ago · Sponges are among Earth's most ancient animals, but exactly when they evolved has long puzzled scientists. Genetic information from living sponges, as well as chemical signals from ancient …

  8. SponGIS - What are deep-sea sponges?

    Sponges are invertebrate, aquatic animals belonging to the Phylum Porifera. They are filter feeding organisms, meaning that their bodies are specialised to separate suspended food particles out of the …

  9. Facts About Sponges (Porifera) - ThoughtCo

    Apr 30, 2025 · Sponges are primitive animals with no organs, living mostly in marine environments. There are three main sponge types: glass sponges, demosponges, and calcareous sponges, each …

  10. Sponge - Anatomy, Filtering, Reproduction | Britannica

    Dec 7, 2025 · Sponges are unusual animals in that they lack definite organs to carry out their various functions. The most important structure is the system of canals and chambers, called a water-current …