The Elegant Sponge - Sycon
The world under water is so pretty one cannot imagine.
The scenario of the deep oceans presents the hidden magnificent flora as well as the fauna.
The brightly coloured fishes, pretty snails, wonderful corals as well as the fantastic sponges can make anyone curious to know about them, to explore their world.
Among themSycon is one such animal that is also thriving efficiently under the seas.
Sycon is commonly known as the crown sponge.
It is a marine sponge widely distributed but well known from the Atlantic shores.
It may be solitary or may occur in colonies of several individuals attached permanently to submerged rocks or any other substrata.
The body of the crown sponge or Sycon is vase shaped or cylindrical, radially symmetrical measuring 1 to 3 cm in height and 5 to 6 mm in diameter.
The colour of the body may range from grey to brown.
The attached end of the animal bears many projections called the buds.
The body of Sycon has many small minute pores called the ostia through which the water enters the body.
The upper end of the body is free and is termed as the osculum which bears many projections and forms a oscular fringe.
The body of the Sycon is covered with numerous minute spicules that impart a bristly appearance to it.
The body of Sycon is internally guarded by a series of canals that together form the canal system also termed as auriferous system.
The body wall is made up of two cellular layers.
The outer one is the pinacoderm and the inner one is the choanoderm.
In between the two layers is present a gelatinous layer which is termed as the mesenchyme.
The water enters into the body through the minute dermal ostia and enters the incurrent canals and then it passes through the prosopyles to enter into the radial canals.
The radial canals then communicate with the apopyles which ultimately open into the body cavity which is designated as the spongocoel.
The spongocoel finally communicates with the osculum for passage of water to the outside.
The rate of flow of water in the canal system is about 0.
01mm/sec.
The cellular organization of Syconis made up of pinacocytes the cells of the outer layer the pinacoderm and the characteristic cells the choanocytes which form the inner layer the choanoderm.
Each choanocyte is roughly spherical in outline and bears single nucleus, numerous food vacuoles, one or two contractile vacuoles, reserve food, blepharoplast and a single whip-like flagellum.
The gelatinous mesenchyme bears a large number of different types of cells which are responsible for different functions.
The skeleton of Sycon is made up of small minute calcareous spicules which are made up of calcium carbonate or silica.
These provide support to the body of the sponge.
They may be monoaxon or tetraxon.
Syconis hermaphrodite.
It shows both asexual as well as sexual reproduction.
The asexual reproduction is by budding as well as by gemmule formation while the sexual reproduction is by sperms and ova that are released in water.
The development is indirect that is by means of a larva known as the amphiblastula.
The Sycon thrives well in the marine habitat and shows good adaptations to adjust itself from the water currents.
The scenario of the deep oceans presents the hidden magnificent flora as well as the fauna.
The brightly coloured fishes, pretty snails, wonderful corals as well as the fantastic sponges can make anyone curious to know about them, to explore their world.
Among themSycon is one such animal that is also thriving efficiently under the seas.
Sycon is commonly known as the crown sponge.
It is a marine sponge widely distributed but well known from the Atlantic shores.
It may be solitary or may occur in colonies of several individuals attached permanently to submerged rocks or any other substrata.
The body of the crown sponge or Sycon is vase shaped or cylindrical, radially symmetrical measuring 1 to 3 cm in height and 5 to 6 mm in diameter.
The colour of the body may range from grey to brown.
The attached end of the animal bears many projections called the buds.
The body of Sycon has many small minute pores called the ostia through which the water enters the body.
The upper end of the body is free and is termed as the osculum which bears many projections and forms a oscular fringe.
The body of the Sycon is covered with numerous minute spicules that impart a bristly appearance to it.
The body of Sycon is internally guarded by a series of canals that together form the canal system also termed as auriferous system.
The body wall is made up of two cellular layers.
The outer one is the pinacoderm and the inner one is the choanoderm.
In between the two layers is present a gelatinous layer which is termed as the mesenchyme.
The water enters into the body through the minute dermal ostia and enters the incurrent canals and then it passes through the prosopyles to enter into the radial canals.
The radial canals then communicate with the apopyles which ultimately open into the body cavity which is designated as the spongocoel.
The spongocoel finally communicates with the osculum for passage of water to the outside.
The rate of flow of water in the canal system is about 0.
01mm/sec.
The cellular organization of Syconis made up of pinacocytes the cells of the outer layer the pinacoderm and the characteristic cells the choanocytes which form the inner layer the choanoderm.
Each choanocyte is roughly spherical in outline and bears single nucleus, numerous food vacuoles, one or two contractile vacuoles, reserve food, blepharoplast and a single whip-like flagellum.
The gelatinous mesenchyme bears a large number of different types of cells which are responsible for different functions.
The skeleton of Sycon is made up of small minute calcareous spicules which are made up of calcium carbonate or silica.
These provide support to the body of the sponge.
They may be monoaxon or tetraxon.
Syconis hermaphrodite.
It shows both asexual as well as sexual reproduction.
The asexual reproduction is by budding as well as by gemmule formation while the sexual reproduction is by sperms and ova that are released in water.
The development is indirect that is by means of a larva known as the amphiblastula.
The Sycon thrives well in the marine habitat and shows good adaptations to adjust itself from the water currents.
