demosponge
/ˈdɛmə(ʊ)spʌn(d)ʒ/Zoology
noun
Any of numerous sponges constituting the large class Demospongiae, with skeletons made of spongin fibres (with or without silica spicules).
- Demosponges first appeared in the late Precambrian and constitute the majority of living sponges..
Origin
Late 19th century; earliest use found in William Sollas (1849–1936), geologist and anthropologist. From ancient Greek δῆμος common people + sponge, after scientific Latin Demospongiae, class name, so named because it constitutes the great majority of sponges.