Niphatidae Family of Sponges

Texotli Blue Sponge, Amphimedon texotli sp. nov.  A representative of the Niphatidae Family of Sponges.

Phylogeny:  The Niphatids simple organisms, however classifying them is quite complex and is generally not conducive to use in the field. The architectural structure and chemical composition of the internal skeleton is key to classification. The Niphatid Sponges are a member of the  of the Niphatidae Family of Sponges, and belong to the Phylum Porifera.  They are in the Class Demospongiae, one of three classes of sponges, and the Order Haploscerida, an Order than includes all freshwater sponges.

Distribution:  The Niphatids are found in Antarctic, temperate and tropical seas globally. There are one hundred fifty-eight known species in the Niphatidae Family with the total number found along the Mexican coast lines currently being undocumented. Niphatids are found in shallow, sunlit water, but some exceed depths of 2,800 m (9,184 feet). They are found on hard surfaces such as coral, rock, shells, and man made structures and debris.

Morphology: Niphatids have a three-dimensional ectosomal net-like skeleton made up of multispicule spongin protein fibers and/or a combination of the two, and cored by oxea. They may be branching, encrusting, lump-like, fan-shaped, vase-shaped in structure. The Demosponges can vary in shape from encrusting, lump-like, branching, or vase-like.  They often have a chimney-like osculum (large excurrent pore). They are stiff or resilient in texture, and maybe hard or brittle. The outer surface may be ridged, rough, smooth, rough, strongly spiny or tuberculate. They lack internal organs and a nervous system. Sponges are multi-cellular animals with tiny pores in their outer wall. Water is drawn through these pores and then circulated through cells within the body, before being expelled through larger openings. This water flow provides oxygen and nutrients, and removes wastes as it passes through the body cells. The water is moved by the beating of flagella, which line the surface of chambers that are connected by canals. Adult sponges have a base that attaches to hard surfaces. They can grow to be 2.0 m (6 feet 7 inches) in height. Niphatids are generally not as colorful as other demosponges. They are however, often found in bright colors including: blue, orange, green, purple, red or yellow.

Ecosystem Roles:  Niphatids feed by filtering plankton from the surrounding water. Some species can use their spicules to capture small crustaceans. The sharp spicules of sponges deter many predators, and some species are toxic. Even with these defenses, sponges fall prey to crustaceans, echinoderms, fish, sea slugs and the Hawksbill Sea Turtles.  Some sponge species travel, very slowly, for short distances, while others are completely sessile. Niphatids, are of interest to researchers because they contain bioactive comlbs such as acetogenins, complex alkaloids, macrolides, and terpenoids which have exhibited antitumor and antiviral properties.

Reproduction:   Demosponges can reproduce sexually, by males broadcasting sperm in to the water, which is then carried in to the pores of the female. The female then releases planktonic larvae which drift until settling to the substrate. Niphatids can also reproduce asexually, by budding.