Porifera

Introduction: Porifera, are sessile primitive metazoans, commonly known as sponges.Although the sponge's body lacks specific tissue, it does contain specialised cells for a variety of life functions such as feeding and protection.Sponge formations vary in colour, shape, and size, from flat cushions to elaborate branching or cup-shaped forms, from tiny crusts measured in mm to giant shapes measured in metres, but they all have a simple body plan in common.Water enters and circulates through a network of canals where plankton and organic particles are filtered out and eaten through numerous tiny pores on the surface known as Ostia.Because of this network of canals and a relatively flexible skeletal framework, most sponges have a spongy texture.Sponges are distributed from the polar, temperate and tropical marine habitats.Global diversity:The phylum encompasses 9607 described species belonging to 5 classes such as Calcarea (805 species), Demospongiae (7960 species), Hexactinellida (705 species), Homscleromorpha (136 species), Porifera incerae sedis (1 species). Diversity in India:In India, 552 species belonging to 190 genera, 80 families, 25 orders and 4 classes are recorded.Protected Species as per WPA (2022):The species under Class Calcarea are categorized under the Schedule-II of Indian Wildlife (Protection) Amendment Act, 2022. Species under CITES:There is no species enlisted under the CITES Appendices.Invasive alien species:Onesponge species (Terpios hoshinota Rützler & Muzik, 1993) is reported as invasive in Indian waters.Gap areas:The majority of sponge species have been reported from major coral reef regions of Indian waters such as Tamil Nadu (Gulf of Mannar), Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Gujarat (Gulf of Kutch), and Lakshadweep, with comparatively few studies carried out in other coastal areas such as West Bengal, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, and Kerala.Taxonomy and ecology of porifera in both fresh and salt water are still lacking, necessitating more intensive studies and documentation to determine the status of porifera fauna in Indian waters.Systematic list:Species list cited below (Table 2).