Corals, jellyfish and comb jellies are types of coelenterates. Sponges are single calcarea, glass spones, and demosponges.
One way to distinguish the types of coelenterates is by their radial symmetry. These animals are corals, jellyfish, comb jellies, and sea anemones. Any marine mammal that is settled in the ocean, meaning stationary like coral is often a coelenterate especially if it has radial symmetry. Not all corals are radial in their symmetry, but they certainly have symmetry to them.
- Coelenterates have radial symmetry
One way to distinguish the types of coelenterates is by their radial symmetry. These animals are corals, jellyfish, comb jellies, and sea anemones. Any marine mammal that is settled in the ocean, meaning stationary like coral is often a coelenterate especially if it has radial symmetry. Not all corals are radial in their symmetry, but they certainly have symmetry to them.
- Sponges
Calcarea are single nucleus with single external membrane often with calcites. This is a form of calcium. Glass sponges are mostly syncytia with silica and can be individual or fused together. Demosponges are like Calcarea except that they are silica instead of made with calcite. Demosponges are found in numerous species.
Sponges are very important to the ecosystem and unfortunately they were over harvested by divers in the early 70s to late 80s. This has been stopped for the most part, but there are still some countries that harvest sponges for commercial sale due to their softness and absorbency. This tends to mean less of certain species are available in the ocean to see.
Demosponges include the Barrel Sponge that is aptly named because it looks like a large barrel. Another Demosponge is the red encrusting sponge or Monanchora arbuscula.
Another sponge is the Acarnus erithacus or red volcano sponge named because it is red and can sometimes look like lava rock due to its pattern.
Sponges are very important to the ecosystem and unfortunately they were over harvested by divers in the early 70s to late 80s. This has been stopped for the most part, but there are still some countries that harvest sponges for commercial sale due to their softness and absorbency. This tends to mean less of certain species are available in the ocean to see.
