Freshwater Sponge Facts: Originally a PLANT 🌱 | Animal Fact Files

Freshwater sponges were originally thought to be plants. Of course, it's now known that freshwater sponges are animals. There are approximately 200 living species of these delicate sponges. They appear in clean water systems like lakes and slow moving streams. Freshwater sponges have a green appearance due to algae that live on them, but they can also appear brown, beige, and white. Freshwater sponges are porous and might seem slimy like algae since they come in a similar color, but they're quite coarse. Freshwater sponges look like plants but they eat other organisms to survive and can't produce their own energy - so they're animals! Freshwater sponge predators include caddisflies. Learn more about these unknown animals in this freshwater sponge video! Scientific Name: Family - Spongillidae Range: clean, clear water systems throughout the world Size: 1-4cm thick (up to 1.5inches); more than 3 feet (91cm) across (or much, much smaller) Diet: planktonic organisms and nutrients from symbiotic algae Lifespan: potentially indefinite through asexual reproduction ✨ Animal Fact Files Patreon Supporters get early access to videos, get their video requests moved to the top of our request list, and more! ✨ 👉   / animalfactfiles   You can learn more on: Twitter -   / animalfactfiles   Facebook -   / animalfactfiles   --- Freshwater Sponge SPECIES: 0:00 Freshwater Sponge HABITAT: 0:12 Freshwater Sponge APPEARANCE: 0:44 Freshwater Sponge DIET: 1:13 Freshwater Sponge PREDATORS: 1:30 Freshwater Sponge SIZE: 1:40 Freshwater Sponge LIFE CYCLE: 2:13 Thanks/Outro: 3:27 --- Image and Video Credits: Krzysztof Lewinski -    • Przydacznia olbrzymia (Tridacna gigas) Mal...   MicrophonicFool -    • Sooke Stream Underwater   Dr Mary Gillham - https://www.flickr.com/photos/marygil... Heikki Rauhala - https://www.flickr.com/photos/hvrauha... https://www.flickr.com/photos/hvrauha... Kirt L. Onthank - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Fi... Lamiot - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Fi... File:Gemmules_Spongilla_lacustris_2014-10-31_a568.JPG; File:Gemmules_Spongilla_lacustris_DSCN4463.JPG; File:Gemmules_Spongilla_lacustris_2014-11-16_a_3722.JPG; File:Gemmules_Spongilla_lacustris_2014-11-16_a_3723.JPG; File:Gemmules_Spongilla_lacustris_DSCN4474.JPG; File:Gemmules_Spongilla_lacustris_2014-10-31_a574.JPG; File:Gemmules_Spongilla_lacustris_2014-11-16_a_3721.JPG; File:Gemmules_Spongilla_lacustris_2014-11-16_a_3724.JPG; File:Gemmules_Spongilla_lacustris_2014-11-16_a_3727.JPG; File:Gemules_grande_Spongilla_lacustris_2014-11-10.jpg; File:Pseudof%C3%A8ces_moules_z%C3%A9br%C3%A9es_sur_spongilla_lacustris_2014_10_02.jpg; File:%C3%89ponge_d%27eau_douce_Spongilla_lacustris_Authie_Lamiot_2017a_10.jpg; File:%C3%89ponge_d%27eau_douce_de_forme_complexe_Spongilla_lacustris_F_Lamiot_2017_05.jpg; File:%C3%89ponge_d%27eau_douce_de_forme_complexe_Spongilla_lacustris_F_Lamiot_2017_06.jpg; File:%C3%89ponge_d%27eau_douce_de_forme_complexe_Spongilla_lacustris_F_Lamiot_2017_03.jpg; File:%C3%89ponge_d%27eau_douce_Authie_Lamiot_2017a_04.jpg; File:Spongilla_lacustris_%C3%A9ponge_d%27eau_douce_Authie_Lamiot_2017a_09.jpg seawildearth - https://vimeo.com/56526602 ROV Innovations - https://vimeo.com/103309904 Research Credits: https://www.britannica.com/animal/fre... https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRp... https://www.nps.gov/articles/freshwat... https://fortress.wa.gov/ecy/gisresour... https://phys.org/news/2019-03-clues-f... http://fieldguide.mt.gov/speciesDetai... https://www.indefenseofplants.com/blo... http://fwp.mt.gov/mtoutdoors/HTML/art... https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/a... https://www.google.com/books/edition/... https://www.google.com/books/edition/... https://www.google.com/books/edition/... https://www.google.com/books/edition/... https://www.fws.gov/gisdownloads/R4/L... #animalfactfiles #freshwatersponge