Classification

    Domain:
Eukarya - The most general of classifications.  This organism contains membrane bound organelles as well as a true nucleus.
For your viewing pleasure, another interesting organism from this domain on MultipleOrganisms.net, the Giant Squid!
    Kingdom:
Animalia - This organism is heterotrophic, multicellular, motile at some stage in its lifetime, and does not contain cell walls.
For your viewing pleasure, another interesting organism from this kingdom on MultipleOrganisms.net, the Portuguese Man of War!
    Phylum:
Porifera - Sponges lacks true tissues, but it have numerous different cell types.  Their cells are totipotent, meaning that they can differentiate and make a whole new identical organism.  They are also suspension feeders who use their individually specialized cells to obtain food.  Finally, sponges are asymmetrical, which allow for no cephalization.
    Class:
Demospongiae - This class of sponge have skeletons that are usually composed of spongin fibers or silica spicules.  They also tend to have a variety of growth forms as well as a variety of places that they can live.  Apart from this they are very large and sessile.
    Order:
Hadromerida - This order of sponges have a radially structured body, spicules and organic material that make up the skeleton, along with a simple cortex.  They also tend to live in small holes that they have dug themselves into.
    Family:
Tethyidae - Teth, giving rise to the Greek theta, could possibly be derived to explain the mouth-like opening to the sponge structures.  In the original Greek context, theta referred to the voiceless dental plosive.
    Genus:
Tectitethya - In Greek, Tect refers to a carpenter or builder.  This could explain the particular genus of sponge because this group usually lives in large structured "buildings" representing colonies of many sponge organisms.
    Species:
Tectitethya crypta - This species was originally discovered in 1945 by Werner Bergmann and later named by Dr. M. W. Laubenfels.  The name crypta comes from a Latin word meaning crypt, probably referring to the vast size of this organism and the crypt-like osculum in which filtered water exits the organism.

Taxomony:
    Posted below are a few taxonomic trees both regarding the species, Cryptotethya (Tectitethya) crypta, and sponges in general.  Hopefully, this will help better understand where and what sponges came from and how they stand as the link between single-cellularity and the multi-cellular animals!!!  For more information on Cryptotethya crypta's taxonomy please visit: this webpage.


    This tree represents the super-groups that divide all eukaryotic organisms.  It is primarily based on the classification and designation of organisms into group in which they are genetically similar.  It also shows points in evolution in which a Protist (Choanoflagellate) could have given rise to another group, like the animals.



    This tree represents a more specific classification of animals into 14 separate phylums.  You can see that some specific animals are segregated morphologically, in the case of Silicea and Calcarea sponges.

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