Potamolepidae

	Potamolepidae Potamolepidae is a family of freshwater sponges, with seven genera: Description This family contains freshwater sponges with a variety of body shapes, ranging from encrusting, massive to arborescent with irregular lobes, ridges or branches. They are smooth and range in consistency from rigid to hard and stone-like. Gemmules are located at the sponge base or strictly adhering to the substrate. When present, the ectosomal skeleton has microscleres in the dermal membrane. These take the form of slender oxeas (have pointed ends). The choanosomal skeleton is alveolate-reticulate. It is loose and irregular at the sponge base and notably dense at the surface and more. Spongin is very sparse. The megascleres are strongyles (have rounded ends), varying from smooth to granular or spiny with inflated ends. Distribution Tropical areas off Africa, South America and around New Caledonia and Fiji. Genera The following genera are recognised: * '' Cherokeesia'' Copeland, Manconi & Pr ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu]
	Potamophloios ''Potamophloios'' is a genus of freshwater sponges within the family Potamolepidae Potamolepidae is a family of freshwater sponges, with seven genera: Description This family contains freshwater sponges with a variety of body shapes, ranging from encrusting, massive to arborescent with irregular lobes, ridges or branches. Th .... Species * †'' Potamophloios canadensis'' * '' Potamophloios gilberti'' * '' Potamophloios guairensis'' * '' Potamophloios hispida'' * '' Potamophloios songoloensis'' * '' Potamophloios stendelli'' * '' Potamophloios symoensi'' References {{Taxonbar, from=Q4115792 Sponge genera Heteroscleromorpha ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu]
	Gemmule Gemmules are internal buds found in sponges and are involved in asexual reproduction. It is an asexually reproduced mass of cells, that is capable of developing into a new organism i.e., an adult sponge. Role in asexual reproduction Asexual reproduction in sponges occurs via budding, either by external or internal buds. The internal buds are called gemmules. Only endogenous types of buds develop into new sponges. Characteristics Gemmules are resistant to desiccation (drying out), freezing, and anoxia (lack of oxygen) and can lie around for long periods of time. Gemmules are analogous to a bacterium's endospore and are made up of amoebocytes surrounded by a layer of spicules Spicules are any of various small needle-like anatomical structures occurring in organisms Spicule may also refer to: Spicule (sponge), small skeletal elements of sea sponges Spicule (nematode), reproductive structures found in male nematodes ( ... and can survive conditions that would kill adult spo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu]
picture info	Sponge Spicule Spicules are structural elements found in most sponges. The meshing of many spicules serves as the sponge's skeleton and thus it provides structural support and potentially defense against predators. Sponge spicules are made of calcium carbonate or silica. Large spicules visible to the naked eye are referred to as megascleres, while smaller, microscopic ones are termed microscleres. The composition, size, and shape of spicules are major characters in sponge systematics and taxonomy. Overview Sponges are a species-rich clade of the earliest-diverging (most basal) animals. They are distributed globally, with diverse ecologies and functions, and a record spanning at least the entire Phanerozoic. Most sponges produce skeletons formed by spicules, structural elements that develop in a wide variety of sizes and three dimensional shapes. Among the four sub-clades of Porifera, three (Demospongiae, Hexactinellida, and Homoscleromorpha) produce skeletons of amorphous silica and on ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu]
	Choanosome A choanosome is an inner region of a sponge, supported on the choanoskeleton, the stucture that contains the choanocytes. See also * Choanoderm The choanoderm is a type of cell layer composed of flagellated collar cells, or choanocytes, found in sponges. The sponge body is mostly a connective tissue; the mesohyl, over which are applied epithelioid monolayers of cells, the outer pinacode ... Sponge anatomy References {{biology-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu]
picture info	Demospongiae Demosponges (Demospongiae) are the most diverse class in the phylum Porifera. They include 76.2% of all species of sponges with nearly 8,800 species worldwide (World Porifera Database). They are sponges with a soft body that covers a hard, often massive skeleton made of calcium carbonate, either aragonite or calcite. They are predominantly leuconoid in structure. Their "skeletons" are made of spicules consisting of fibers of the protein spongin, the mineral silica, or both. Where spicules of silica are present, they have a different shape from those in the otherwise similar glass sponges. Some species, in particular from the Antarctic, obtain the silica for spicule building from the ingestion of siliceous diatoms. The many diverse orders in this class include all of the large sponges. Most are marine dwellers, but one order (Spongillida) live in freshwater environments. Some species are brightly colored, with great variety in body shape; the largest species are over ac ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu]