Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Design Example: Designing a Residential Plumbing System

Design Example: Designing a Residential Plumbing System

The design of residential plumbing systems requires carefully evaluating water demand, flow rates, and pressure dynamics to ensure both efficiency and reliability. The nature of water flow within pipes is defined by its Reynolds number, which classifies flow as either laminar (smooth) or turbulent.

Diversity of Protists III

Diversity of Protists III

Rhizaria are a diverse group of unicellular protists characterized by their threadlike cytoplasmic extensions known as pseudopodia. These structures aid in both locomotion and feeding, giving Rhizaria an amoeboid appearance. Their amoeboid morphology once led to taxonomic confusion, but molecular phylogenetics has clarified their evolutionary placement and emphasized their shared use of pseudopodia despite divergent lineages.This clade comprises diverse lineages such as Chlorarachniophyta,...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Long-Term Sperm Storage in a Superfetatious Live-Bearing Fish (<i>Poeciliopsis gracilis</i>, Poeciliidae).

Ecology and evolution·2025

Same author

Coercive mating has no impact on spatial learning, cognitive flexibility, and fecundity in female porthole livebearers (Poeciliopsis gracilis).

Journal of fish biology·2024

Same author

Impact of hydraulic retention time on community assembly and function of photogranules for wastewater treatment.

Water research·2020

Same author

Spatial distribution of load induced soft-tissue strain in cattle claws.

Veterinary journal (London, England : 1997)·2019

Same author

Selective and energy efficient extraction of functional proteins from microalgae for food applications.

Bioresource technology·2018

Same author

Techno-Functional Properties of Crude Extracts from the Green Microalga Tetraselmis suecica.

Journal of agricultural and food chemistry·2018

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 12, 2026

The Polyvinyl Alcohol Sponge Model Implantation

The Polyvinyl Alcohol Sponge Model Implantation

Published on: April 18, 2012

Re-plumbing in a Mediterranean sponge.

D Mendola¹, J G M van den Boogaart, J L van Leeuwen

¹Food and Bioprocess Engineering, Wageningen University, PO Box 8129, 6700 EV Wageningen, The Netherlands. dominick.mendola@wur.nl

Biology Letters

|September 6, 2007

Summary

Dysidea avara sponges can reconfigure their anatomy, transforming water outlets (oscula) into oversized ostia (inlets). This internal re-plumbing allows for efficient particle capture, as observed in flow tank and field studies.

More Related Videos

VacuSIP, an Improved InEx Method for In Situ Measurement of Particulate and Dissolved Compounds Processed by Active Suspension Feeders

VacuSIP, an Improved InEx Method for In Situ Measurement of Particulate and Dissolved Compounds Processed by Active Suspension Feeders

Published on: August 3, 2016

Establishing an Octopus Ecosystem for Biomedical and Bioengineering Research

Establishing an Octopus Ecosystem for Biomedical and Bioengineering Research

Published on: September 22, 2021

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jul 12, 2026

The Polyvinyl Alcohol Sponge Model Implantation

The Polyvinyl Alcohol Sponge Model Implantation

Published on: April 18, 2012

VacuSIP, an Improved InEx Method for In Situ Measurement of Particulate and Dissolved Compounds Processed by Active Suspension Feeders

VacuSIP, an Improved InEx Method for In Situ Measurement of Particulate and Dissolved Compounds Processed by Active Suspension Feeders

Published on: August 3, 2016

Establishing an Octopus Ecosystem for Biomedical and Bioengineering Research

Establishing an Octopus Ecosystem for Biomedical and Bioengineering Research

Published on: September 22, 2021

Area of Science:

Marine Biology
Invertebrate Zoology
Functional Morphology

Background:

Sponges possess specialized pores for water flow: ostia for intake and oscula for expulsion.
The internal structure and water flow dynamics in sponges are crucial for their filter-feeding and survival.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the phenomenon of functional oscula being converted into oversized ostia (OSO) in Dysidea avara sponges.
To understand the mechanism and implications of this internal re-plumbing for water intake and particle capture.

Main Methods:

Flow tank studies utilizing high-speed photography and particle tracking with laser-illuminated glass beads.
Fluorescein dye and glass bead uptake experiments to trace water and particle movement.
Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to examine the internal structures and particle deposition within choanocyte chambers.

Main Results:

Observations confirmed the transformation of functional oscula into oversized ostia (OSO) in Dysidea avara.
Particle tracking revealed that glass beads were directed into the OSO and deposited on the inhalant side of choanocyte chambers.
Dye uptake experiments showed flow from the osculum, but no bead emergence, indicating internal redirection of water and particles.
Functional OSO were observed in freshly collected specimens, ruling out laboratory artifacts.

Conclusions:

Dysidea avara sponges exhibit remarkable internal re-plumbing capabilities, converting excurrent oscula into influent oversized ostia.
This anatomical plasticity enhances filter-feeding efficiency by optimizing particle capture.
The findings highlight the adaptive potential and complex internal dynamics of sponge anatomy.