Classification of Sycon or Scypha

Phylum :- Porifera (Pore bearing, cellular grade, asymmetrical or radially symmetrical).

Class :- Calcarea (Calcareous spicules present).

Order :- Heterocoe Syconoid sponges with internal folds.

Genus :- Sycon

Habit and habitat

• Sycon or Scypha is a small, solitary or colonial marine sponge found in shallow to approximately 60 fathoms deep in well oxygenated water.

Distribution

• Common in Europe. Distributed from Rhode Island to Greenland

Comments on Sycon

• Complex vase-shaped body, measuring 20 to 25 mm in length and 5 to 6 mm in diameter.
• Each cylinder bulges in the middle and opens to the exterior by osculum. Body surface is covered by a ostia bearing membrane.
• At the distal free end there is a large osculum, encircled by a fringe of large giant monaxon spicules forming funnel-shaped collar or oscular fringe.
• Proximal and or base attached to substratum .
• Body wall is thick through which monaxon, triaxon and tetraxon spicules project.
• Body wall is composed of outer dermal epithelium, middle mesenchyma and inner flattened epithelium lining spongocoel which opens through the osculum.
• Canal system is syconoid. Choanocytes are restricted to radial canals. Course of water current is ostia > prosopyles > radial > canals > apopyles > spongocoel > osculum > exterior. Nutrition, respiration and excretion by canal system.
• Hermaphroditic.
• Reproduction by sexual or asexual methods. Asexual reproduction by budding and regeneration, while sexual by ova and sperms. Larva is amphiblastula.

Identification

• Since the animal has radial tubes, oscular fringe, ostia and all above features, hence it is Sycon.

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PHYLUM PORIFERA