Are sea sponges (tunicates) plants or animals?

Is Sea Sponges (Tunicates), a Plant or an Animal?

Tunicates are also called sea sponges. They’re a diverse group of marine creatures, which have been studied for many centuries. Their classification as either an animal or a plant has been debated despite their extensive history of research. Although they have some similarities with animals and plants, their unique characteristics make them stand out. First, they lack complex organs and tissues like those found in mammals. According to Hickman et. al. 2019, this means that they don’t have any nervous, digestive, and circulatory systems. Starr 2020. Instead they depend on the external environment for food and nutrients. Sea sponges do not have any organs or tissues, which is an indicator of their non-animal nature. However, some sea sponges have characteristics more closely related to plants. Starr, 2020. To form their structures, they also use the same type cellulose found in plants (Hickman and al. 2019, 2019). It is very similar to…