Natural sponge. Coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM) showing the branching structure of the body of a natural sponge (phylum porifera). Sponges

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Natural sponge. Coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM) showing the branching structure of the body of a natural sponge (phylum porifera). Sponges are primitive aquatic animals that filter food from the water. Their bodies are supported by an internal skeleton of calcium or silicon based spicules (spines), and fibres of the protein spongin. Magnification: x62 when printed 10 centimetres wide.

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Size: 4800px × 4800px
Photo credit: © POWER AND SYRED/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: animal, aquatic, based, biological, biology, body, branching, calcareous, calciferous, calcium, coloured, false-coloured, fauna, feeder, fibre, fibres, filter, invertebrate, invertebrates, marine, natural, nature, organism, porifera, poriferan, primitive, sem, sessile, siliceous, silicon, spicule, spicules, sponge, spongin, structure, wildlife, zoological, zoology