PORIFERA AND CNIDARIA

By :
Name : Rahmi Mutia Mawardi
Student ID : B1B015041
Entourage : VIII
Group :4
Assistant : Maria Bramastri Susilo

ANIMAL SYSTEMATICS II LABORATORY REPORT

MINISTRY OF RESEARCH, TECHNOLOGY, AND HIGHER EDUCATION

JENDERAL SOEDIRMAN UNIVERSITY
FACULTY OF BIOLOGY
PURWOKERTO
2017
 I. INTRODUCTION

A. Introduction

Extensive phylogenomic analyses have converged on a distant Precambrian

vintage for the origin of Metazoa, an evolutionary event that must have long predated
the last common ancestor of Porifera (sponges) and Eumetazoa (cnidarians +
bilaterians), given the organismal and genomic complexity of these major groups. In
modern phylogenomic analyses, elegant computational algorithms are applied to
sequence divergence data from very large sets of genomic protein and other sequences
so as to establish evolutionary branching order, and thus patterns of relatedness among
animal clades. Key branch points can then be referred to real time by use of
extrapolations from calibrations afforded by the dated fossil record (Yin et al., 2015).
Porifera is an phylum in the Animalia Kingdom, consists of all species of
sponges (sponges), Total about 5,000. Porifers are one of the simplest animals on the
planet, and it is believed that they evolved from the first multicellular organisms that
eventually evolved into animals. Unlike all other animal phyla, which have two or three
layers of the body (diploblastik or triploblastik), the porifera has only a single body
layer (monoblastic), and no true tissue. They do not have a complement and do not have
the ability to make any movement, lack of muscle tissue. Porifera are exclusively water
creatures (Hickman et al., 2001).
The phylum of Porifera is the only phylum of the branch of the Animalia
Kingdom of Parazoa - those who have no actual network, which deviates from the
ancient lineage after the multicellular evolution of colonial protists. The word porifera
comes from the Latin "porus" (small hole) and "ferre" (carry). Thus, porifera means an
animal that has a porous body. Porifera is the simplest multicellular animal. This
porifera lives permanently (sessil) on the bottom of the waters. Porifera are the simplest
multicellular or metazoa animals. This animal has a characteristic, that is, its body is
porous like foam or sponge so porifera also called sponge animal (Bergquist, 1998).
Cnidaria has knidocytes or stinging cells present in the epidermis. Cnidaria is
also called Coelenterata because it has a large cavity in the middle of the body.
Coelenterata comes from the word coilos (hollow) and enteron (gut). Thus, all animals
belonging to this phylum have intestinal (gastrovascular) cavities that function for
digestion. Cnidaria has a multicellular body, radial or biradial symmetry, has no head or
body sections. In a hereditary turn, Cnidaria has two types of life or body shape. These
two body shapes are polyps and medusa forms. Cnidaria is called the polyp phase when
life is attached to a substrate and can not move (sessile) (Hinde, 1998).
Cnidarians, the sister group to bilaterians, have a simple diffuse nervous system.
This morphological simplicity and their phylogenetic position make them a crucial
group in the study of the evolution of the nervous system. The development of their
nervous systems is of particular interest, as by uncovering the genetic programme that
underlies it, and comparing it with the bilaterian developmental programme, it is
possible to make assumptions about the genes and processes involved in the
development of ancestral nervous systems (Kelava et al., 2015).

B. Objectives

The objectives of this laboratory activity are :

1. Students learn and observe some members of Phylum Porifera and Cnidaria.
2. Students learn some basic characteristics for Phylum Porifera and Cnidaria
identification and classification.
 II. REVIEW OF LITERATURE

Porifera (sponges) are similar to other animals in that they are multicellular,
heterotrophic, lack cell walls and produce sperm cells. Unlike other animals, they lack
true tissues and organs, and have no body symmetry. The shapes of their bodies are
adapted for maximal efficiency of water flow through the central cavity, where it
deposits nutrients, and leaves through a hole called the osculum. Many sponges have
internal skeletons of spongin and/or spicules of calcium carbonate or silicon dioxide. All
sponges are sessile aquatic animals. Although there are freshwater species, the great
majority are marine (salt water) species, ranging from tidal zones to depths exceeding
8,800 m (Wulff, 2008). Characteristics of Porifera are as follows:
1. The member of this phylum is commonly known as a sponge.
2. Habitat - They are mostly marine animals, little found in fresh water.
3. Symmetry of the body - mostly asymmetry animals, there is no definite form for the
body of porifera.
4. The organizational level - this is a primitive, multicellular animal with a class of
mobile organizations.
5. Motility - Adult sponges live permanently, ie they need a substrate to attach
themselves to the surface and not move.
6. How to get food - Due to the nature of sessile, the sponge is a filter feeder.
7. Digestion - Intracellular digestion.
8. Skeleton - The body of the sponge is supported by a skeleton made of spicules or
spongy fibers.
9. Reproduction - Sex is not separate, they are hermaphrodite.
10. Hermafroditism - a condition in which eggs and sperm are produced by individuals.
Porifera equally reproduce asexually with fragmentation and sexual with gamete
formation.
11. Fertilization - Internal fertilization.
12. Direct developments have morphologically different stages of larvae from the adult
body.
13. Water transport or canal system - Sponges have a water transport system. Water
enters through tiny pores (ostia) in the body wall into the central cavity known as
spongocoel. From the water spongocoel out through the oskulum. This water
system helps in collecting food, respiratory exchanges and waste removal.
14. Koanocytes - These are collar cells, they coat the spongocoel and the channel.
Example: Sycon, Euspongia, Spongilla.
Cnidaria is a phylum containing over 10,000 species of animals found
exclusively in aquatic (freshwater and marine) environments: they are predominantly
marine species. Their distinguishing feature is cnidocytes, specialized cells that they use
mainly for capturing prey (Zhang, 2011). Cnidaria has characteristics are as follows:
1. Multicellular, and radial symmetrical (cutting the fields through the center creating
identical segments, they have the top and bottom but no sides).
2. An invertebrate animal.
3. It has a tube-like shape.
4. Surrounded by tentacles around the mouth.
5. Coelenterate body layers of external tissue (eksoderm), deep tissue (endoderm), as
well as muscular system longitudinal and crossed (mesoglea).
6. It has a knidoblast, an exoderm cell that contains a spiny toxin called nematocyt.
7. Living in fresh water, sea water, solidly (attached to the bottom of the water) and
colonizing.
8. Has a sting cell (nematosis).
9. It is a carnivorous animal (feeding on small invertebrates).
10. It has no organ or organ system.
11. It has no brains, but only nerve impulses run through their bodies and can detect
signals in their environment.
12. Coelenterata digestive system: in eksoderm there is a bubble-shaped tentacle called
Hipnotoxin which has hooks of yarn. If it catches the prey, the tentacles pull the
food toward the mouth and push it into the body cavity. Food is digested by
enzymes that will circulate throughout the body cavity and then absorbed by the
endoderm. Coelenterata digestive system called Gastrovaskuler.
13. The respiratory system is a diffuse nervous system (diffuse).
14. Coelenterata has a motion device that is tentacle
According to Hooper et al. (2002), Porifera grouped into four classes based on
the framework of his body, namely as follows:
a. Calcarea (Calcispongiae)
Calcarea or Calcispongiae (Latin, calcare = lime, calsi = lime, spongia =
sponge) has a framework of lime or calcium carbonate. Calcarea is pale and has a
height less and 15 cm and hairy body surface. Calcarea has a type of aquedonoid
canal, a cyconoid, and a leukonoid. Examples are Leucosolenia, Clathrina, and
Sycon ciliatum.
b. Hexactinellida (Hyalospongiae)
Hexactinellida or Hyalospongiae (Greek, hexa = six, transparent hyalo or
glass, spongia = sponge). The body frame of Hexactinellida is composed of silica
(glass) with a cylindrical, flat or stemmed body shape. Height reached 90 cm. Type
of aqueduct. Hexactinellida live in the sea with a depth of 90 cm - 5,000 m.
Hexactinellida is commonly referred to as the "sponge glass" of its spicules
sometimes united with the network structure, thereby forming a complicated braid
like a basketball hoop. In addition, there is also a bowl or vase. For example
Euplectella aspergillum and Hyalonema.
c. Demospongiae
Demospongiae (Greek, demo = thick, spongia = sponge) has a body frame
composed of spongy fibers. Height and diameter of the body there reaching more
than 1 m with leukonoid water channel type. In general, Demospongiae is brightly
colored, but some are dark (black). Bright body color allegedly to protect the body
from the sun. Demospongiae is the largest group of species, about 90% of all
Porifera species. They usually live on the beach to a depth of 45 m, but some are
living in fresh water. For example Oscarella, Microciona, Halichondria and Cizona.
d. Sclerospongiae
 Sclerospongiae or coral sponges produce a framework composed of calcium
carbonate (CaCO3) interwoven in spongy fibers, making it look like a coral.
Sclerospongiae diameter can reach 1 m. Sclerospongiae is commonly found in coral
reefs in Jamaica. For example Ceratoporella and Stromatospongia.
Based on the dominant form in the cycle and habitat of life, Cnidaria is divided
into three classes, namely:
a. Class Hydrozoa
Hydrozoa is a group of coelenterates whose life is in sea water and freshwater
is rather shallow. The word Hydozoa is from the Greek word "hydro" which means
water, and "zoa" which means animal. Members can live solitary (aloof) and can
also live colonize. Generally solitary life is polyp (settled in one place), and the
solitary life can be polyp or medusa. Generally sized 0.5 - 6cm (Collins, 2002).
b. Class Scyphozoa
Scyphozoa is a group of coelenterates that have a bowl-like shape. The word
Scyphozoa comes from the Greek word "Scyphos" which means bowl, and "Zoa"
which means animal. Scyphozoa is more dominantly medusa (live free) during its
life cycle. Body size about 2 - 40 cm. If the polyps of this group reproduce
asexually, it will produce medusa offspring. The best known animal of this group is
jellyfish (Arai, 1997).
c. Anthozoa Class
Anthozoa is a group of coelenterates that have colorful tentacles like flowers.
The word Anthozoa is derived from Greek, which is "antho" which means flowers
and "zoa" which means animal. Anthozoa has no medusa form, it is found only in
the form of polyps (living in one place). These animals usually live in shallow seas
in colonies or solitary (solitary). Examples of animals of this class are coral animals
(Seipel & Schmid, 2005).
 III. MATERIAL AND METHOD
A. Material

The tools used in this laboratory activity are specimen tray, forceps, magnifying
glass, light microscope, stereo microscope, camera, animal identification book, gloves,
surgical mask, and stationary.
The material used in this laboratory activity are some specimens of Porifera and
Cnidaria.

B. Method

The method used in this laboratory activity are :

1. Students observed, drew, and described the morphological characters of the
specimens.
2. Students identified the specimens with identification keys/literature.
3. Students made simple identification key based on the observed characters.
4. Students constructed the discussion and conclusion based on the result data.
 REFERENCES

Arai, M. N., 1997. A Functional Biology of Scyphozoa. London: Chapman & Hall.

Bergquist, P. R., 1998. Porifera. In Anderson, D.T. Invertebrate Zoology. Oxford:

Oxford University Press.

Collins, A.G., 2002. Phylogeny of Medusozoa and the Evolution of Cnidarian Life
Cycles. Journal of Evolutionary Biology, 15(3): pp. 418–432.

Hickman, C. P. (Jr.), Roberts, L. S. & Larson, A., 2001. Integrated Principles of

Zoology. 11th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill.

Hinde, R. T., 1998. The Cnidaria and Ctenophora. In Anderson, D.T. Invertebrate
Zoology. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Hooper, J. N. A., Van Soest, R. W. M. & Debrenne, F., 2002. Phylum Porifera Grant,
1836. In Hooper, J. N. A.; Van Soest, R. W. M. Systema Porifera: A Guide to the
Classification of Sponges. New York: Kluwer Academic/Plenum.

Kelava, I., Rentzsch, F. & Technau, U., 2015. Evolution of eumetazoan nervous
systems: insights from cnidarians. Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B, 370, pp. 1-9.

Seipel, K. & Schmid, V., 2005. Evolution of striated muscle: Jellyfish and the origin of
triploblasty. Developmental Biology, 282(1): pp. 14–26.

Yin, Z., Zhu, M., Davidson, E. H., Bottjer, D. J., Zhao F. & Tafforeau, Z., 2015. Sponge
grade body fossil with cellular resolution dating 60 Myr before the Cambrian.
PNAS, pp. E1453–E1460.

Zhang, Z. Q., 2011. Animal biodiversity: An introduction to higher-level classification

and taxonomic richness. Zootaxa, 3148: pp. 7–12.