Spongilla | |
---|---|
![]() | |
Spongilla lacustris in the Hanford Reach of the Columbia River, Washington, USA. | |
Scientific classification ![]() | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Porifera |
Class: | Demospongiae |
Order: | Spongillida |
Family: | Spongillidae |
Genus: | Spongilla Lamarck, 1816[1] |
Species | |
See text | |
Synonyms | |
|
Spongilla is a genus of freshwater sponges containing over 200 different species. Spongilla was first publicly recognized in 1696 by Leonard Plukenet and can be found in lakes, ponds and slow streams.[2]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.[3] Using their ostia and osculum these sponges filter the water for various small aquatic organisms such as protozoans, bacteria, and other free-floating pond life.[4] Sponges of the genus Spongilla partake in symbiotic relationships with green algae, zoochlorellae. The symbiotic zoochlorellae give the sponges a green appearance and without them they would appear white.[4]
Spongilla was used by John Hogg in the 19th century to attempt to justify a fourth kingdom of life.[5]