Orange+Puffball+Sponge

﻿Orange Puffball Sponge - //Tethya aurantia//

__**Class: **__ Demospongiae
 * __﻿Phylum: __** Porifera

__**Location: **__ Southeastern Alaska to central Baja California, from low intertidal to 1,460 feet.

__**Size: **__ Can get up to 8 inches in diameter.

__**Habitat: **__ Kelp Forest, Continental Shelf, Continental Slope, Seamount


 * __Living Requirements: __**﻿ Sponges need WATER! Sponges feed themselves by pumping enormous amounts of water through their bodies, and filter out organic particles, bacteria, and algae. They can also absorb dissolved organic matter. The water enters through many tiny pores, then circulates through the canals crisscrossing the entire sponge. This process ensures that food is delivered to each individual cell.


 * __Life Cycle: __** They can reproduce sexually and asexually. It reproduces sexually when eggs are internally fertilized but then released into the water column to complete development. This process only take 2 - 3 days. They reproduce asexually by forming stalked buds that release into the water column. Smaller sponges may only live a year, but large sponges can live up to 100 years old.[[image:OrangePuffballSponge-2-LT-PointLobosCanneryPointWall-7-11-06.jpg width="385" height="297" align="right"]]


 * __<span style="color: #ff1200; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">Female and Male Differences: __**<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;"> During sexual reproduction the male releases the sperm and the female sponge catches the sperm. However, most sponges are hermaphrodites.


 * __<span style="color: #ff1200; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">Interesting Facts: __**<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">It has no organs or tissues. They are the only animals that if broken into cells can put themselves back together again. It is the most commonly known subtidal sponge in central California.

<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">Zookeper: Erin Holbert <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">Content, Images, and Video References: <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">Content: [] <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">Images: [] <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">Video: []