Porifera (Sponges)

Phylum Porifera (Sponges)

Wikipedia Entry

Approximate Number of Species: 5,000

Largest: The cloud sponge, Aphrocallistes vasus can cover an area of 11.15 feet (3.4m) x 3.6 feet (1.1m)

 

Smallest: The tiny sponge, Sycon cillatum, reaches a hight of only 0.002 inches (0.05mm)

Sycon cilliatum photo used with permission from DanielGuip via Flikr

References:

Brusca RC & Brusca GJ (2003) Invertebrates (Sinauer Associates, Inc., Publishers, Sunderland, MA) 2nd Ed.

B. Austin, personal communication

Grzimek B (1974) Grzimek’s Animal Life Encylopedia (Van Nostrand Reinhold Co., New York).