A sponge is a very simple aquatic animal with many cells, but no mouth, muscles, heart or brain.
A sponge has a hollow body, its cavity lined by cells bearing flaggae, whose hip-like movements keep water circulating, bringing a stream of food particles.
All sponges are sessile aquatic animals. The sponge cannot move from place to place the way most other animals can, but grows in one spot like most plants do.
There are more than 8000 species of sea sponges living in aquatic habitats. Although there are freshwater species, the great majority of sponges are marine (salt water) species, ranging from tidal zones to depths exceeding 8,800 m (5.5 mi).
The Ancient Greeks used sea sponges to pad their helmets and leg armor.
The Ancient Romans used sponges for bathing and as paintbrushes, mops, and drinking glasses.
In Rome instead of toilet paper, all public toilets had a sponge on the end of a stick that was soaked in a bucket of brine.
During Jesus Christ's crucifixion, a Roman soldier offered Him a sponge soaked in vinegar wine on the tip of his spear to drink, as an act of mockery.
A species of sponge, called the red sponge, can be pushed through a piece of fabric so that it is broken into thousands of tiny pieces. The animal does not die. Rather, all the pieces reassemble until the sponge is back to its original, whole self and continues with its life.
A sponge has a hollow body, its cavity lined by cells bearing flaggae, whose hip-like movements keep water circulating, bringing a stream of food particles.
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| Stove-pipe Sponge-pink variation. By Nhobgood (talk) Nick Hobgood |
All sponges are sessile aquatic animals. The sponge cannot move from place to place the way most other animals can, but grows in one spot like most plants do.
There are more than 8000 species of sea sponges living in aquatic habitats. Although there are freshwater species, the great majority of sponges are marine (salt water) species, ranging from tidal zones to depths exceeding 8,800 m (5.5 mi).
The Ancient Greeks used sea sponges to pad their helmets and leg armor.
The Ancient Romans used sponges for bathing and as paintbrushes, mops, and drinking glasses.
In Rome instead of toilet paper, all public toilets had a sponge on the end of a stick that was soaked in a bucket of brine.
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| Natural sponges |
During Jesus Christ's crucifixion, a Roman soldier offered Him a sponge soaked in vinegar wine on the tip of his spear to drink, as an act of mockery.
A species of sponge, called the red sponge, can be pushed through a piece of fabric so that it is broken into thousands of tiny pieces. The animal does not die. Rather, all the pieces reassemble until the sponge is back to its original, whole self and continues with its life.
The yellow sponge Aplysina aerophoba turns blue when exposed to air. This leads to its specific name "aerophoba" (Greek: "fear of air").
Most sponges feed on bacteria and other microorganisms. A few of them are carnivores and eat tiny crustaceans.
Sea sponge aquaculture is the process of farming sea sponges under controlled conditions.
Greece is the world's leading producer of sea sponges, especially in the sea off Kalymnos island.
Bath sponges are the most common use of aquacultured sea sponge today. Bath sponges can be defined as any sponge species possessing only spongin fibers – which are springy fibres made from collagen protein.
Synthetic sponges where made possible to be manufactured only after the invention of polyester in 1941 and the commercial production of polyurethane foam in 1952. Synthetic "sponges" include personal and household cleaning tools; breast implants; contraceptive sponges.
The luffa "sponge" is not derived from an animal but from luffa plants; a species of gourd with edible fruits. Once dried and peeled they reveal a matrix of tough fibrous tissues inside that act as wonderful natural sponges.
Source Isaac Asimov's Book Of Facts
Most sponges feed on bacteria and other microorganisms. A few of them are carnivores and eat tiny crustaceans.
Sea sponge aquaculture is the process of farming sea sponges under controlled conditions.
Greece is the world's leading producer of sea sponges, especially in the sea off Kalymnos island.
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| Display of natural sponges for sale on Kalymnos in Greece. Photo by Tom Oates |
Bath sponges are the most common use of aquacultured sea sponge today. Bath sponges can be defined as any sponge species possessing only spongin fibers – which are springy fibres made from collagen protein.
Synthetic sponges where made possible to be manufactured only after the invention of polyester in 1941 and the commercial production of polyurethane foam in 1952. Synthetic "sponges" include personal and household cleaning tools; breast implants; contraceptive sponges.
The luffa "sponge" is not derived from an animal but from luffa plants; a species of gourd with edible fruits. Once dried and peeled they reveal a matrix of tough fibrous tissues inside that act as wonderful natural sponges.
Source Isaac Asimov's Book Of Facts
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