Category: Invertebrates
Sponges are aquatic, multicellular organisms whose body structure is full of holes and channels that allow water to circulate food and oxygen to all the cells, as well as remove waste. While they lack true tissues and organs and do not display body symmetry, sponges are composed of a variety of cells which perform highly specialized functions and often host photosynthesizing micro-organisms as endosymbionts. Sponges in temperate regions usually only survive for a few years, while some tropical species may live for more than 200 years!
It’s an ant’s world. We’re just living in it.
Do humans truly dominate the world? The Argentine ant may have something to say about that. Many ants are known for their large colonies, but the Argentine ant, named for its South American origins takes this to a whole other level. Due to inadvertent introduction by humans, the Argentine ant has spread to all continents except Antarctica. There are now three known super-colonies of these ants: one in Europe (the largest, covering 3,700 miles), one in California (560 miles), and another on the west coast of Japan. Ants are often territorial, but amazingly, ants belonging to the super-colonies recognize one another: if you were to introduce a super colony ant from Japan to one from Europe or California, they will recognize each other as friends!
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Discover Animals is a web-based educational resource offered by the NAIA
