Question

Which class of sponges is characterized by a skeleton made of silica spicules often fused into a delicate, glass-like framework?

a) Demospongiae
b) Calcarea
c) Hexactinellida
d) Homoscleromorpha

Answer 1

Class Hexactinellida, also known as glass sponges, is characterized by a skeleton made of silica spicules that can fuse into a glass-like framework.

Step-by-step explanation:

The class of sponges characterized by a skeleton made of silica spicules often fused into a delicate, glass-like framework is the Hexactinellida class. These glass sponges are known for their six-rayed siliceous (glassy) spicules which can attain very large sizes and do not produce spongin. Instead, much of their body cells are interconnected to form a multinucleate syncytium, creating a unique structure without a mesohyl.Hexactinellida sponges produce six-rayed siliceous spicules and no spongin. These sponges have enormous spicules and most of their body cells are fused together, forming a multinucleate syncytium