Sponges and Deep Sea Sponges Biology

Vocabulary flashcards covering the cellular structure, feeding mechanisms, and unique ecological traits of sponges and deep sea sponges.

Sponges

Animal group characterized by having cells that are not organized into specialized tissues for any particular function.

Suspension feeders

Organisms, such as sponges, that capture food particles as water flows through small pores into internal spaces.

Colonocytes

Cells lining the internal spaces of the sponge with beating flagella that pull water across the pores and capture food particles.

Amebocytes

Amoeba-like cells that move relatively freely within the sponge's body wall, take out food particles from chlamydocytes, and produce structural or skeletal elements like flexible soft protein fibers and spiky hard structures.

Nebocytes

Cells in sponges that produce spongytic elements and can differentiate into other cell types, such as lymphocytes, as needed.

Eusocial shrimp

An underwater ant-like shrimp species that exclusively lives in sponges.

Deep sea sponges

Sponges found in deep marine environments that can be carnivorous.