These marine invertebrates belong to many principal botanical divisions like phylum and cnidaria, but despite their many similarities, they stood the time of distinguishing features that make each cell different and vibrant from each other.
Key Takeaways
- Sponges are simple, aquatic animals with porous bodies that filter water to obtain food, while corals are marine invertebrates that form large, hard structures through a symbiotic relationship with algae.
- Sponges have no true tissues or organs and use a system of canals and chambers for circulation, while corals have a more complex structure with polyps, tentacles, and a central mouth.
- Both sponges and corals play important roles in marine ecosystems, providing habitat and promoting biodiversity, but corals form the basis of critical coral reef ecosystems.
Sponge vs Coral
The difference between Sponge and Coral is that it develops its characteristics and motion in marine life based on the different domains they belong to in the scientific world. They also differ in physiological terms as corals have stinging cells on their tentacles that allow them to prey on food, whereas Sponges do not have such a digestive system making them live on water flow in their body.
Sponges are known to survive in freshwater, but they also have characteristics to survive in sea salt water or shallow water with great depth.
Corals are known to have identical features as polyps that are multicellular organisms but are considered single organisms.
Comparison Table
| Parameter of Comparison | Sponge | Coral |
|---|---|---|
| Phylum | Sponges belong to the Porifera phylum. | Coral belongs to the Cnidaria phylum. |
| Habitat | Found in a very deep shallow sea. | Less likely to be found in the very deep sea. |
| Survival Protection | They protect themselves using toxins. | They protect themselves using their tentacles. |
| Calcium Carbonate | They do not secrete calcium carbonate. | They secrete calcium carbonate for coral reefs. |
| Structure | The structure appears like plants with pores. | The structure of their body is sac-like. |
What is Sponge?
Sponges are a type of marine invertebrates that lack tissues and organs such as the nervous system, digestive system, and respiratory system, unlike many other marina habitat animals.
The shape of sponges is very adaptive and is built differently to maximize the water flow efficiency in their body. Their build-up comprises two layers of cells.
As said, Sponges have numerous pores for the water flow in their body that carries food and oxygen, and those pores are exclusively lined with flagella (cells).
What is Coral?
Corals stand difference from sponges in their anatomy, reproduction, and other body functions. Their body structure is built differently and is more complex compared to sponges.
Their species belong to the Cnidaria phylum and have identical features like anemones, but they can be of different types with a little touch of other distinctive characteristics.
These algae provide the necessary food for the corals that are produced by the algae through the process of photosynthesis.
Main Differences Between Sponge and Coral
- Sponges are found in the sea bed or ocean floor, sticking to hard rocks or other aquatic organisms, whereas Corals are found in the ocean in any tropical or subtropical areas.
- Sponges feed on bacteria and other organic matter found in the ocean water, whereas most Corals require the energy of sunlight to grow and expand.
Last Updated : 20 July, 2023
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Piyush Yadav has spent the past 25 years working as a physicist in the local community. He is a physicist passionate about making science more accessible to our readers. He holds a BSc in Natural Sciences and Post Graduate Diploma in Environmental Science. You can read more about him on his bio page.
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I found the detailed explanation of coral anatomy and its symbiotic relationship with algae particularly interesting. It showcases the complexity of coral organisms.
The emphasis on the roles of sponges and corals in marine ecosystems provides a deeper understanding of their ecological significance and impact.