Adult sponges do not move around-they are fixed to the bottom of the seafloor, on rocks, or on other sandy or hard underwater surfaces ( Figure 1). Sponges live in waters all around the world, from the deep seas of the Arctic and Antarctic to the shallow and warm tropical seas, as well as in rivers, streams, ponds, and lakes. Have you ever looked closely at a living sponge? Although they may look more like plants or fungi, sponges are actually animals. Sponge species with different body and skeleton shapes and sizes can thrive in very different and unique environments. Most sponges filter water to get their food, but certain sponges are carnivorous, meaning that they eat meat, including tiny shrimp-like creatures. Other sponges have evolved unique ways to eat. For example, many sponges are rock-hard! These rock sponges use minerals like silica (glass) to build their skeletons-instead of bone like ours. Over time, sponges have evolved into many sizes and shapes, giving us the huge diversity of sponge species on Earth today. There are close to 10,000 sponge species described by scientists, but far more species await discovery! However, not all sponges look and feel like their kitchen-sink cousins. Sponges are animals that live in oceans, lakes, and rivers.
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