Freshwater sponges
| Freshwater sponges | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Freshwater sponges ( Spongillidae ) |
||||||||||
| Systematics | ||||||||||
|
||||||||||
| Scientific name | ||||||||||
| Spongillidae | ||||||||||
| Gray , 1867 |
The freshwater sponges (Spongillidae) are a family from the animal phylum of the sponges. In contrast to the bulk of sponges, they live in fresh water and can also survive dry phases due to permanent stages ( gemmulae ). They are found in most large lakes and rivers . However, they usually make great demands on water quality and are therefore good indicators of environmental pollution. These are stuck animals that need a solid base such as wood , stones or even bottles; more rarely they grow on clamshells , metal or water plants . As a rule, the colonies are only about 20 to 30 cm in size, but sometimes even man-sized, as in the Staffelsee .
skeleton
Freshwater sponges have a skeleton made up of simple pebble needles and organic fibers. After the death of the animal, this skeleton disintegrates and usually only the pebble needles remain. The microscopically visible shape and arrangement of the skeletal needles and the covering needles of the gemmulae are an important characteristic of the individual species.
literature
- TO Eggers & B. Eiseler (2007): Identification key for the freshwater Spongillidae (Porifera) of Central and Northern Europe. - Lauterbornia 60: 1-53.
- TM Frost (1991): Porifera . In: Thorp, JH & AP Covich (Eds.), Ecology and Classification of North American Freshwater Invertebrates . Pp. 95-124, Academic Press, New York.
- R. Manconi & R. Pronzato (2008): Global diversity of sponges (Porifera: Spongillina) in freshwater. - Hydrobiologia 595: 27-33.
- JT Penney & AA Racek (1968): Comprehensive revision of a worldwide collection of freshwater sponges (Porifera: Spongillidae) . - United States National Museum Bulletin, 184 pages, (DC Smithsonian Institution Press) Washington.
- R. Pronzato & R. Manconi (2001): Atlas of European freshwater sponges. - Annali del Museo Civico di Storia Naturale di Ferrara 4: 3-64.
