Overview

''Spongilla'' is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...

of freshwater sponges with over 200 different species. Spongilla was first publicly recognized in 1696 by Leonard Plukenet and can be found in lakes, ponds and slow streams.''Spongilla'' have a leuconoid body form with a skeleton composed of siliceous spicules. They are sessile organisms, attaching themselves to hard substrate like rocks, logs and sometimes to ground. Using their ostia and osculum these sponges filter the water for various small aquatic organisms such as

protozoans Protozoa (singular: protozoan or protozoon; alternative plural: protozoans) are a group of single-celled eukaryotes, either free-living or parasitic, that feed on organic matter such as other microorganisms or organic tissues and debris. Histo ...

bacteria Bacteria (; singular: bacterium) are ubiquitous, mostly free-living organisms often consisting of one biological cell. They constitute a large domain of prokaryotic microorganisms. Typically a few micrometres in length, bacteria were among ...

, and other free-floating pond life. Sponges of the genus ''Spongilla'' partake in symbiotic relationships with green algae,

zoochlorellae ''Zoochlorella'' is a ''nomen rejiciendum'' for a genus of green algae assigned to ''Chlorella''. The term zoochlorella (plural zoochlorellae) is sometimes used to refer to any green algae that lives symbiotically within the body of a freshwater ...

. The symbiotic zoochlorellae give the sponges a green appearance and without them they would appear white. ''Spongilla'' was used by John Hogg in the 19th century to attempt to justify a fourth kingdom of

life Life is a quality that distinguishes matter that has biological processes, such as signaling and self-sustaining processes, from that which does not, and is defined by the capacity for growth, reaction to stimuli, metabolism, energ ...

Reproduction

Sponges are hermaphroditic organisms, producing both egg and sperm. Sperm is released from one sponge and brought in through the ostia of another sponge. Once the sperm reaches the body cavity it is fertilized and develops into a free-swimming larvae. The free-swimming larvae is released out the osculum and will eventually settle and attach elsewhere. Since the larvae are developed inside the spongilla it is

viviparous Among animals, viviparity is development of the embryo inside the body of the parent. This is opposed to oviparity which is a reproductive mode in which females lay developing eggs that complete their development and hatch externally from the m ...

. Unlike marine sponges, freshwater sponges are exposed to far more variable environmental conditions, so they have developed gemmules as an overwintering mechanism. When exposed to excessively cold or other harsh conditions, the sponges form gemmules. Gemmules are highly resistant buds that can live dormant for extended periods of time. When conditions improve, the gemmules "germinate" and a new sponge is born.

Species

* '' Spongilla alba'' Carter, 1849 * '' Spongilla arctica'' Annandale, 1915 * '' Spongilla cenota'' Penney & Racek, 1968 * '' Spongilla chaohuensis'' Cheng, 1991 * '' Spongilla gutenbergiana'' Müller, Zahn & Maidhof, 1982 * '' Spongilla helvetica'' Annandale, 1909 * '' Spongilla jiujiangensis'' Cheng, 1991 * ''

Spongilla lacustris ''Spongilla lacustris'' is a species of freshwater sponge from the family Spongillidae. It inhabits freshwater rivers and lakes, often growing under logs or rocks. ''Lacustris'' is a Latin word meaning "related to or associated with lakes". The s ...

Linnaeus Carl Linnaeus (; 23 May 1707 – 10 January 1778), also known after his ennoblement in 1761 as Carl von Linné Blunt (2004), p. 171. (), was a Swedish botanist, zoologist, taxonomist, and physician who formalised binomial nomenclature, the ...

1758 Events January–March * January 1 – Swedish biologist Carl Linnaeus (Carl von Linné) publishes in Stockholm the first volume (''Animalia'') of the 10th edition of Systema Naturae, 10th edition of ''Systema Naturae'', the sta ...

* '' Spongilla mucronata'' Topsent, 1932 * '' Spongilla permixta'' Weltner, 1895 * ''

Spongilla prespensis ''Spongilla prespensis'' is freshwater sponge endemic to Lake Prespa The Lake Prespa is located on the tripoint of North Macedonia, Albania, and Greece. It is a system of two lakes separated by an isthmus: the Great Prespa Lake, divided betwe ...

'' Hadzische, 1953 * '' Spongilla sarasinorum'' Weltner, 1901 * ''

Spongilla shikaribensis Overview ''Spongilla'' is a genus of freshwater sponges with over 200 different species. Spongilla was first publicly recognized in 1696 by Leonard Plukenet and can be found in lakes, ponds and slow streams.''Spongilla'' have a leuconoid body f ...

'' Sasaki, 1934 * '' Spongilla stankovici'' Arndt, 1938 * '' Spongilla wagneri'' Potts, 1889

References

;Footnotes ;Bibliography * Myers, P., R. Espinosa, C. S. Parr, T. Jones, G. S. Hammond, and T. A. Dewey. 2006. The Animal Diversity Web (online). Accessed February 19, 2007 at http://animaldiversity.org. * *

External links

*
Integrated Taxonomica Information System (ITIS): Spongilla Lamarck, 1816 Taxonomic Serial No.: 47692

National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI): Spongilla Taxonomy ID: 6054
{{Taxonbar, from=Q379409 Sponge genera Spongillidae Taxa named by Jean-Baptiste Lamarck