Porifera (redirected from poriferans)

Po`rif´e`ra

n. pl.

1.

(Zool.) A grand division of the Invertebrata, including the sponges; - called also Spongiæ, Spongida, and Spongiozoa. The principal divisions are Calcispongiæ, Keratosa or Fibrospongiæ, and Silicea.

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

Porifera - coextensive with the subkingdom Parazoa: sponges phylum Porifera Parazoa, subkingdom Parazoa - multicellular organisms having less-specialized cells than in the Metazoa; comprises the single phylum Porifera parazoan, poriferan, sponge - primitive multicellular marine animal whose porous body is supported by a fibrous skeletal framework; usually occurs in sessile colonies sponge genus - a genus of Porifera class Hyalospongiae, Hyalospongiae - sponges with siliceous spicules that have six rays; choanocytes are restricted to finger-shaped chambers phylum - (biology) the major taxonomic group of animals and plants; contains classes