Sponges and coral have a lot in common. they just sit on rocks, filtering food particles, living in quite large colonies, and provide habitat for other animals. But, in a way, sponges and coral are totally different. Sponges and coral come from different animal phyla. Phyla is the most basic of all animal distinctions. sponges are among the most simple of all animals, not having true tissues and deterring predators primarily by their lack of nutrition. They are covered in little pores lined with cells with flagella which are used to circulate water through the sponge and take in food particles. Sponges can also live in very deep water. Corals are related to jellyfish and anemones. Even more conplex than sponges, they have differentiated tissue and a true gut. Corals look like single individuals but they are actually huge colonies made of many geneticaly idenical polyps just a few mm in diameter. these polyps have stinging tenticals, and instead of depending on food particals, corals get most of their nutrition from algae (the algae also gives them their color!) Corals can't live as deep as sponges can.
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