Not everyone that know what is the sea sponges. Probably, would looks like spongebob in the cartoon.
However, for the information – sea sponges is really exist. Then, what is the sea sponges and how do it look like? Sea sponges is a species of animals that live in the sea.
In contrast to other marine animals, sea sponges have many pores and included in the low level of animal.
That is because of sea sponges don’t have a nervous system, organs, the digestive system, the circulatory system and senses. If so, sea sponges didn’t have much impact to others marine animals?
Not so, Sea Sponge also has many uses for its environment. The following is an explanation of the function of sea sponges.
- As a habitat for many animals
Function of sea sponges is as a habitat. Why? Sea sponges – apparently – helps maintain the quantity of marine animals.
Because sea sponges have buds and be able to proliferate with secession – then form new individuals. With the split, Sea Sponge has a sufficient amount of lots.
In addition, sea sponges can live in sea water and fresh water, although mostly live in sea water from shallow coastal waters to a depth of 5 meters.
2. As a polisher
Did you know, in addition to the marine animals – sea sponges can use of carbon in the ocean as a polisher?
This is made clear by the sponge around us. There is Sponge with demospongia type, it have a body shape that is filamentous and is composed of six fingers.
This type can be used on land after dried. That is why sea sponges can use as a polisher and traded as skin cleanser while bathing, Sanitizer tableware and cookware, and others.
In doing so, sea sponges can help human society ‘as animal’ to clean up household chores and the other activities.
3. As an ingredient of drugs
In addition as a polisher, sea sponges also use for drugs. Sea Sponge was used as anticancer drugs with side effects equivalent to zero.
In other words, uses of rising Sea levels Sponge was used as a medicine and it has been tested clinically without side effects.
Especially for cancer. As you guys know, cancer is a deadly disease. Research trying to find anti-cancer drugs from herbal, and found a sea sponge.
Sea sponges with calcareae type, has the potential to work as anticancer. powered by sitotoksisitas parameter, i.e. IC50 of each species of sponges.
Also, this sponges type – as well as working on eight types of cancer like HepG2, HeLa, THP-1, A549, PC-9, K562, HT29, and MCF-7.
4. Has the potential of very large bioactive
The next function is this ‘animal’ have a large bioactive. In various studies say that sea sponges compound bioaktif and quite useful.
Such as antibacterial, antifungal, antiflammantory, antimalarial, anticancer, antitumor, antiviral, inhibits the activity of enzymes and as antifouling. It is also widely used for herbal medicines.
The study also said that more than 10% sponge citotoksik activities that can have a potentially material medicines. However, the bioactive of sea abrasion sponges can not be used without expert supervision.
5. Avoid some diseases
Sea erosion Sponge has a lot of iodine in it as a liter of sea water will have, which make them, since ancient times in Greece, the Roman period and the middle ages, which is useful for medicinal purposes.
Iodine has antiseptic and antibacterial effect on wounds and scars so that sea sponges are widely used by the community serves to heal their wounds. Scientists have also been taken to examine the Sea Sponge because anti-cancer properties.
Sea Sponge is also used in making drugs for asthma. But one fact more than a Sea Sponge is that the dolphins have been known to use sea sponges in order to hunt fish that hide in the sea floor and to protect their nose while doing it.
6. As Aquarium decoration
As we know, than most aquariums – we will always encounter a sea sponge. Why? After the dead or captured, Sea Sponge is usually preserved and used as a garnish. In fact, the ‘ enabled ‘ back in the aquarium with the same function in the sea.
This is pretty extreme, but types of Sea Sponge does have its own uniqueness with the members of the body that has the advantages of each.
Especially with buds and pores that are owned by a sponge. Used in aquariums to further prevent marine viruses and bacteria on the fish and maintain breathing inside the Aquarium.
Apart from the description above, there are also functions several functions of Sea Sponge that you can know. As below:
- Sponge Chondrilla nucula can accumulate large amounts of bacteria. In addition, this type – with the size of one square metre can filter 14 liters of sea water per hour with 7-10 powers of 10 bacterial cells perhour.
- Sponges have the ability to filter out 80% content of particles dissolved in the water. This ability to be one of the considerations for using the sponge as the collecting microorganisms pollutants. It is also related to the function of the sponge as decoration in aquariums.
- Suberites domuncula type of Sea Sponge can also be used as biomarkers for the environmental conditions experienced by far right of cadmium and bacteria.
- Petrosia testudinaria used as biomarkers for detecting heavy metal content of the area coastal waters (0.5-1 km) and offshore (5-7 km).
- Endangered Sea otter Sponges with Crambe crambe type can be used as a biomonitor for contaminants pollutants in the waters. This type of sponge can accumulate copper, lead and vanadium in the network.
- Used such as anaesthetic, and mixed with some herbs.
- Sponges can produce toxins and other compounds that are used to ward off predators, competition with other sessile animals, and to melidungi themselves from infection.
That is some function of the Sea Sponges that can be used in various ways. The function of course will be very useful for human health, for the protection of sea sponges, self, self protection of ways to protect the marine life animals, and so on.
To that end, in order to be able to sense the functions and benefits of sea sponges-still protect their habitat and do not make arrests.