for fixation, but glass sponge reaches at of various types of cells (Fig .. l 0.

7) which
greater depth and anchors on soft sedi- hardly form any tissue. T here 1s no organ or
ments. Cliona bores on the molluscan organ system. They lack mouth and diges-
shell and is known as boring sponge. tive cavjty. Vital functions are performed
Sponges may be of varied colours and their by independent activities of the cell?.
shape depends upon the sites of their stay. In simple asconoid sponges the wall 1s
The largest sponge is Spheciospongia vesparum composed of an outer dermal epithelium or
having a diameter of two metres . Certain epidermis and an inner epithelium consisting
sponges, e.g. Tethya can contract its entire of Choanocytes. A mesenchyme containing
body, while in most cases the contracti- skeletal spicules and several types of free
lity is restricted around the osculum. amoeboid cells are present between the
During unfavourable condition most epithelia. The spicules support the body
sponges shrink and form res ti tu tion bodies, wall and hold the sponges erect. The
which grow in favourable condition. In mesenchymal cells originate from the outer
fresh water sponges specialised bodies epithelium, hence it may be considered as
called gemmules are formed for the same ectomesoderm.The body surface is perforated
purpose. The gemmules remain viable for by pores acting for ingress of water.
a period ranging from two months to three Plnacocytea. The surface of the body or

A
f-·
'.

'ii./ C

Fig. J0.7. Various cell types in sponges. A-G. From fresh water spong_e. a-c. From Microciona .
d. FromSeypha. e. From leucosolenia. A. Archaeocyte. B. Amoebocyte. C . Choanocyte. D. Scleroblast.
E. Pinacocyte. F. Egg ceU . G. Sperm cell. a. Globoforous amoebocyte. b. Granular amoebocyte.
c. Archaeocyte. d . Choanocyte. e. Amoebocyte.
years. Many annelids and crustaceans epidermis is lined by pinacocytes . . Each
live as symbionts with sponges. The body pinacocyte- is a large flat polygonal cell.
of sponge harbours many blue green and The central"-part of the cell is thickened
green algae. The well-known . enemies of due to the placement of nucleus. Pinaco-
sponges are coral-reef fish, limpets and cytes may also line the spongocoel and
nudibranchs. incurren t canals of syconoid sponges and
also the spaces in leuconoid sponges. Such
STRUCTURAL PECULIARITIES IN pinacocytes are sometimes referred to as
SPONGES endopinacocytes. Pinacocytes are highly con-
There are various types of sponges rang- tractile cells and can reduct! the surface
ing from simple to comple:it. They have ar~a of sro~ges. In many sponges a definite
all in common certain structural features. ep1denms 1s absent as in Hexactinellida.
The body is composed of loose aggregation It may form a syncytium in some· cases.
· J J [ VOL. I '76 ]
 to as the
P o roc yte a. Th
P_or e cell s or por ocy tes lar ge nu cleolu s are referr ed act ually
? Ccu r amon g the arc
e pin aco cyt es at fre qu ent arc heo cyi-es. T he archeocyt es h . h 1
int erv als . T h . w 1c p ay
g a r d e d as tra e nsfpo◄ roc ytes ar . e usu a y re-
II the gen era lised am oeb ocy tesra tio n , rep ro-
e 1n reg ene
cyt es bu t the do mi nan t rol
Pre n a nt (1 925 ) o~ edth pm aco yte s du cti on an d d iffe ren tia tio n of oth er cell-
t iv~~m ~s a t the po roc g sle nd er
are the der iva O
~m oeb ocy tes . Po ro- typ es . Be sid es these cell-ty pes lon
cyt es are tu bul a s t spe
s ext end ing fro m ceJ ls called the desmocytes are pr e srn
t~e epi de rm is to t~ ce are cia lly in_ De mo spo ngi ae. Ma s are p re-
ny fu sifo rm
cen tra f csI ;~g oc~ el. Th ey cyte
p ier ced by a m uscle cells or myo
inc urr en t pas sag e Th wh ich act s as an con tra ct ile
nd the osculu m .
cells con tai ns ~a ny e rou cyt oplas~ of these ~ ent ou
T he nd mclusions AL SYSTEMS IN SP ON GE S
o hig hly con tra ctil e .
Th e cplo roc ytesf are pals · ffi · ,1 sponges
osu re o the re I S e ect ed_ by the Th e str uct ura l com ple xi ties in
ad va nce me nt of n of can al
lasm 1c she et a re pri ma rily du e to possessio the most
cal led the pore
to the cen tre at:~
d ' ;ht

Ch oan ocy tee I e ou ter end

m 7 top

of can al. vit al sys

. Th is sys tem con stit u tes
ragm rom the ma rgi n sys tem tem , bec aus e all the cell typ es wo rk
thi s system . So con-
spe ~i fne ~ sur fac e of the bod y on the bac kg rou nd of es of can al
is lin ed b)'
ise h cel ls, the cho ano cyte s. sid era tio n of the dif fer ent typ ary .
Th e col lar cells a
ocy tes are spe ci- sys tem s see ms to be all the mo re nec ess
ali sed cel ls wi thor c oan t
n d or ov al bas e It has alr ead y bee n discussed tha
r esting on the m a rou cle tra c- spo nge s bea r a lar ge nu mb er
of por es on
es~ nch y~ e an d~ con o a sys-
t ile tra nsp are nt les the the ir bo dy sur fac e wh ich lea d int
a~ wh ich enc irc the
bas e of a sin gle lco
llu m. Th ese cel ls ter n of cha nne ls per me ati ng alm ost
a re mu ch lar g 1_o n~ ~ge tha n in wh ole bo dy an d ul tim ate
ly op en to the
es e~ ~ siz e m Ca lca rea nge s ran ges
o the r spo ng d by the ext erio r. Ca nal sys tem in spo
pic ~le s ~re for me hig hly com -
dep osi tio n of ·th
Me sen cby m
;h
;~c ero
e me!=e
las ts.
nch ym e is com -
fro m a ver y sim ple gra de to
ple x typ e. Th e follow ing typ es of can al
in dif fer ent spo -
mo nly cal led e me sog lea sys tems are enc ou nte red9) .
con sis ts of t e me sog lea . ~h an d l0.
. a ran s~a ren t geldati nou s ma trix nges (Fi gs . 10.8 .
f . iffe ren t typ es
o pro te1 ? na tur e m which ~ --
of cel ls hk e arc hae ocy tes, amo ebo cyte s, sclero-
Derma l por e .. :-' \.-· ·
.rt·
T h e meso-
blasts_an ~ ~erm cells are pre sen t. ~ o ® QQ .·: ·
gle a 1s d1v1ded int o two
enc hym
typ
a.
es : (i) Col
\\Then the
len -
£~~ -~~ . . _.,. :.-:·
chyma han d (ii) Par ~ , _, ··
me sen c ym e con tai ns few ce lls -th is is
~ ~~~ d,o - ·
':' ;;; - ~~
ma . Th e me sen chy me Ro l canal
called col len chy ign ate d as par en-
wi th ma ny cel ls is des
Am b lncurrent fJ.<l!!!J, e ~· Sp
·
ongocoel
c.hAym_a . bo es. oe ocy tes are am oe-
I~
tf~ 'Q} @ , ·· /
~o e cyt
bo id in n a tur e. Th ey per
fun cti on s a nd are res pon sib
form var iou s
le for pro-
cona
~ 5,e>dJ} Pro sopyles
·.
the p rocess
ducin g oth er cel l-ty pes by
possibly the ~@ ~ · ,i'..: Apopyle
of tra nsf orm ati on exc ept ing ~e,~
tes are m ost
ch oa no cy tes . The am oeb ocy ~ -:-, ~©aiJ
the life of
importa nt cel lul ar ent ities in of sev eral
sp on ges . Th e am oeb ocy tes a
re cJl ~ ~
cl)
~~
ng es . •T h e typ es 1
va r iet ies in dif fer en t spo

::,~~J f;~:C{t:;;:d!';;~!e(;7Ji~:=: \~
an d p ig-
cytes : wi th lob ose pse ud op od s Fig. 10.~. Showing the Sycono id
(Sta ge II) Canal
(iii) Theso-
m en ted cyt op las mi c inc lus ions. system m sponge .
a nd ma ny
cytes: wi th lob ose pse ud op ods d uci ng AS CONOD> TY PE. J'h e ascono
id typ e of
foo d res erv es. (iv) . Scleroblasts
: pro be the most
o ( a) Cal .ico bla sts, · can al sys tem is r ega rde d to
ske let on an d su bd ivi ded int . Ascon oid
ngi obl asts acc ord - simple gra de of can al system wh ose
( b) Silicoblasts a nd (c) Spo ske let on. typ e is presen t in the se spo ng es -
ed vas e-l ike an d rad iall y sym
ing to t he na tur e of sec ret th bod y is
tes wi thi n.
(v) Arcluieocytes: Th e .am oeb ocy i wi th m etr ical. T he wa ll is ext rem ely
us nu cle
blu nt pse ud op od s, con spi cuo
It encloses a large spongocoel opening Sycoaold (Sta11e D) 1 The Syconoid (Stage
at the summit by <\ n arrow osculum. T h e II) canal system is found in many genera of
spongocoel is lined by choanocytes. The calcareous sponges, viz. Grantia, Grantiop-
wall is pierced by numerous m icroscopic sis, Heteropia, Ute, etc. The complication
apertures termed as the inwrnmt pores or ostia is due to the spreadi ng of the dermal
which extend from the externa l surface to m embrane ( consisting of epidermis plus
the spongocoel. Each pore is intracellu - a thin layer of m esenchyme) over th~
larly disposed in a porocytc. The asconoid entire surface of the sponges to form th e
type of canal system is characterised by cortex of var ia ble thi ckness. The walls of
the prc£ence of a comp lete continuous the radial canals fu se in such a fashion
lining of ch oanocytes interrupted o nly by that tubular spaces (incurrent canals) are
the porocytes. The course of water cur- formed which open to the exterior through
rent is as follows : dermal ostia or dermal pores. The incurrent
D('rmal pores - - - - - + l ntern a! ostia canals traverse along i1Tegular course
t l through th e cortex before reach ing the
outer ends of the r adial canals. Sometimes
Spon1ocoel large irr egular cortical spaces o r subdermal
spaces may be produced (Fig. 10.8).
Ex tenor + - - - - - - - -Osr.ulum
LEUCONOID TYPE. In this type of
Ascon type cana l system the choanocyte lining of
SYCONOID TYPE. The syconoid type of radial canals evaginatcs into many small
canal system represents the transitional chambers which repeat the same process
grade between the simplest ascon type and to give rise to a cluster of small flagellated
more complex ones. The first step above the chambers. In many cases d ermal pores
asconoid type of canal system is represent- open into subderma l spaces. The sub-
ed by the syconoid type of canal system . d ermal ~pace and incurrent ca nals lead
The complication is due to th e outpushing into the small rounded flagellated cham-
of the wall into finger-like projections called ber through an opening termed as prosopyle.
the radial canals at regular intervals. In this The flagellated chambers o pen by apopyles
type of canal system , choanocytes are only into excurrent canals which form large
limited to the radial canals. Their d e- tubes. The largest one leads to osculum .
tailed account h as already been described Few gradations of leuconoid type of canal
wi th the bio logy of Sycon. The syconoid system are seen in sponges. They are :
canal system is represented by two grades: (i) Eurypylous type. When apopyles
(i) Syconoid (S tage I) are in direct corrununication with excur-
(ii) Syconoid (Stage II) rent canals by broad mouth.
Syconoid (Stage I): TheSyconoid(Stage I ) (ii) Aphoclal type. When a slend~r
type of canal system is found in the hetero- ca nal called aphodus connects the chamber
coelous calcareous sponges typified by to the excurrent canals.
Dermal ostia - - -~Subdermal spaces ---- ➔ Prosodus (when prC5CI1t)
t and m any incurrent +
I canals Pro;opyles
Exterior Flagcllatod chambers
t AJpyles
I
many +
OscuJum+--- - -- - -Large canals .. - -Excurrent+-- - Aphodus (wh en present)
Leuconoid type canals
Leuconoid type
Seypha where the cortex is no~ for:rned. T~e (iii) Diplodal tn,e. When a narrow tube ,
radial canals are the free pr0Ject1ons of the the prosodus is present between the incur-
wall a nd the external surface is composed rent canals and the flagellated chambers.
of the blind ou ter ends of the radia l car:als. The scheme of circulation is shown above.
The incurrent canals have not d efimt:ly The main advancement of leuconoid
formed and the spaces between the radial canal system over that of syconoid tYPe of
canal~serve as the dem1.al ostia. canal system is due to :
✓
164 BIOL OGY OF ANIM AL~
of thr
(ii) the grad ual dcv clop meu t
(i) the limi tatio n o f choa nocy tes only to mes e nch ynie and
t he sma ll cham ber~ ,

_ oscu la _ _ _ _ _ _ __

/) f---P-r-\);- - prosopyle . ,./'./ 7~

I \ '\(o•lia incurrent )~ ~~'>
fr I ~ rad ial: ::: , $,i; ~~\
spon goco ;, . ~~- ~
··•·.. " '· ··••· ~~
~~
apopyle

\}... ,,.LJ)
\ ·r::•.=•};· 71
Asc on type
Syc on type

~'" ¼ .
.: .': : ' .. .-. . : . . -. . ·.: <-.

. .-._- _i:_·_.:·.·.. . ::/·-<.:·. --~~ ;..:. ;.,_p roso dus

· ·.·-·..-

:\ _:: .·.·. ·._ aph odu s

:
---~ -~.· ..- ..:·
. :_·.~

/ Leu con type (Dip loda l)

l syste m '\
l syste m in spon ges. The syco n type of cana
/ ~ig. 10.9 . Sche matic reprt...sentation of cana choa nocv te laye rs
(Stag e I) type . Dark band s indic ate
draw n here a c tuall y repre sents the syco noid (afte r Hyma n) .
and a rrow~ d~oo te th e cour se of wate r flow
in ·r a ble 1- ro ru er a.

~ AJILE I -P O R IF E R A

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -+-
- - - - - -. - - - - -NO-ID- - 1 S YCONO ID -L E UCONOID
PO IN TS A sOO TYPE
TY PE
TYPE
- - - - - , , - - - - - - - - 1 -
- - -al-l - - - t -Si-m-pl- e.- - - · t - -E-va gi na ted to Ir reg u la r.
1. W p ro du ce r a d ia l .
an d in cu rren t
· ca na ls . .
-,- - - - - - - , - - - - - - ~ ---4-
-- - - --t - - - - - - - T h ic k e n e d H ig hl y el abo-
2 . M es en - · S im pl e an d ra te d , tr av ers-
th in . Com- an d no t co m -
chy me pl et el y tr av er s- ed by in cu rr en t
pl et ely tr avers- ca na ls or su b-
ed by po ro - ed b y po ro -
cy te s. d er m al sp aces.
cy te s.
th e L im it ed to th e L imit ed to th e
3. C h oa no- L in ed • f l a g e l la te d
sp on go coel . ra di al ca na ls .
cy tes ch am be rs . F la -
gella te d ch am -
be rs op en by
na rr ow ap o-
p yles.
- - - - - -1 - - - - - - - 1 -
- - -ng-oc - -- -•-Spacious.
- - l · -S-pa-ciou U su ally obli -
oe s. tera te d .
4 . Spo

. . T he se ar e J