Are Porifera motile or non-motile?

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Multiple Choice

Are Porifera motile or non-motile?

Explanation:
The main idea here is whether Porifera are anchored in place or able to move. Sponges attach to a surface and stay fixed there as adults, feeding by drawing water through their pores. That stationary, attached lifestyle is what “sessile” describes. So, for the adult organism, sessile is the best choice. It’s true that sponge larvae can swim to disperse, but the typical adult Porifera are non-motile. Motile would imply active movement, which sponges don’t do as adults; free-swimming would describe the larval stage rather than the adult; and while Porifera are heterotrophs, that describes feeding, not movement.

The main idea here is whether Porifera are anchored in place or able to move. Sponges attach to a surface and stay fixed there as adults, feeding by drawing water through their pores. That stationary, attached lifestyle is what “sessile” describes. So, for the adult organism, sessile is the best choice. It’s true that sponge larvae can swim to disperse, but the typical adult Porifera are non-motile. Motile would imply active movement, which sponges don’t do as adults; free-swimming would describe the larval stage rather than the adult; and while Porifera are heterotrophs, that describes feeding, not movement.

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