Most animals and plants are part of more than one food chain. If one part of a food chain alters, the whole food chain is affected. For example, if a disease suddenly wiped out caterpillars, it would affect mice, owls and many other animals.
This phylum consists of the jellyfish, hydra, sea anemones, corals, sea pens, sea wasps, and box jellyfish. There are about 9,000 species. Almost all are marine. This is another ancient group, with fossils perhaps reaching back to 700 mya.
(pÅrÄ­f`ÉrÉ) [Lat.,=pore bearer], animal phylum consisting of the organisms commonly called sponges sponge,common name for members of the aquatic animal phylum Porifera, and for the dried, processed skeletons of certain species used to hold water.orifera. (invertebrate zoology). The sponges, a phylum of the animal kingdom characterized by the presence of canal systems and chambers through which water is drawn in and released; tissues and organs are absent.