Largest evolutionary study of sponges sheds new light on animal evolution
Sunday, February 9, 2014 - 16:00
in Biology & Nature
Most genes involved in complex processes are present in sponges, new research shows. Sponges or Porifera -- there are over 8,000 species currently recognised -- are the most basal phylum of metazoans. They represent a rich animal diversity found throughout the world, from tropical climates to the arctic poles, and they are an excellent model to study metazoan evolution.