BIO 102 LECTURE NOTES

PHYLUM ANNELIDA

Phylum Annelida (Coelomate Implies animals with a cavity lined by an epithelium of cells
derived from the embryonic mesoderm). Annelids have elongated body divided externally into a
number of rings which represent a division of the internal parts into a series of segments.
Examples include Earthworms, Neanthes, Leeches, etc.

Characteristic Features of the Phylum Annelida

• They are mostly aquatic, some are terrestrial.

• They are generally burrowing animals, some are sedentary or free living, and some are
ectoparasites.
• The body is vermiform, bilaterally symmetrical, and metamerically segmented.
• They have straight tube alimentary canal, and undergo extra-cellular digestion.
• Has segmentally arranged locomotory organs, repeated groups of chitinous setae or
chaetae. Leaches have no setae.
• Respiration is generally through body surface or through a special projection of parapods.
• Has well-developed closed-type blood vascular system.
• Possesses Nephridia which is the excretory organ.
• Nervous system consists of paired cerebral ganglia or brain, a double ventral nerve cord
bearing segmental ganglia.
• Gonads develop from the coelomic epithelium. Sex may be separate or united, and
development may be direct or indirect.
Classification of Phylum Annelida

The Phylum Annelida is generally divided into three classes. These are:

Polychaeta:

Mostly marine forms, distinct heads with eyes and tentacles, segmental with lateral projection of
the body wall known as parapodia, do not have clitellum. Sexes are separate. Have no distinct or
permanent sex organs. Many forms reproduce asexually by budding. Example of

Oligochaeta:

Lives in soil, or in fresh water, body is conspicuously segmented but no distinct head; parapodia
absent; they are hermaphrodites; has more complicated reproductive system with compact
ovaries and testes but fewer in number clitellum is present ; no larva, and development is direct.
Example is Earthworm.

Hirudinea.

Has fixed body segments numbering 34; some group may have only 31 or 17 segments; Anterior
and posterior sucker present, Clitellum is present, no parapodia or setae. They are
hermaphrodites, has direct development; may be terrestrial fresh water or Marine. Examples are
Leeches.

Representative Example: Earthworm (Lumbricus sp)

Earthworm (External Features) –

• The body of an earthworm is cylindrical and elongated, approximately 12-18cm in length

and 3-5 mm in width.
• The body is divided into about 115 -170 segments by transverse grooves.
• Bluntly pointed at both ends with the head being more pointed.
• It is rich brown/dark red in colour due to the presence of blood vessels below the skin.
The dorsal surface is darker than the ventral.
• The metameric organization of the body is clearly indicated on the outside by the circular
groves corresponding to body segments or metameres.
• The mouth is situated at the first segment of the body of the earthworm.
• A small, rounded, fleshly structure without sensory appendages, known as Prostomium is
found overlying the mouth.
• In a mature worm, there is a smooth, saddle-like reproductive structure called clitellum
lying about 20mm behind the anterior extremity. It is noticeable, slightly whitish and
swollen with gland cells and plays an important part in copulation and cocoon formation.
• About the middle of each segment are pairs of chitinous structures called setae/chaetae
• The first, the last and the three segments of the clitellar regions are without setae/chaetae
 • A single female generative or oviduct aperture is present at about the 12th to 14th segment
in level with the surface of the Clitellum, seen as a light-coloured patch.
• The paired male generative or spermiducal apertures lie on the ventral surface of the 15th
to 18th segment.
• The genital or copulatory papillae are in the 17th and 18th segments.

STRUCTURAL ADAPTATION

• The body wall forms a protective covering for all the enclosed internal parts.
• The mucus in the epidermis underlying the body wall keeps the skin of the earthworm
slimy and clean and does not allow any foreign germs to settle in it.
• The body wall serves as the only organ of respiration because of its thin pervious and
highly vascularised nature.
• The skin serves as an efficient receptor organ. –
• Mucus acts as a cement for plastering the walls of the burrow. –
• The setae aid in locomotion.
• The earthworm feeds in decaying leaves and humus present in the soil and eventually
excreted as “worm casts” deposited on the ground
• The Earthworm excretes waste products with the aid of an organ known as Nephridia.
 PHYLUM MOLLUSCA

This Phylum which includes soft bodied animals with a shell is one of the largest Phyla among
the invertebrates. The phylum consists of a diverse group of organisms which include slow-
moving snails, and slugs, relatively sedentary bivalves scuh as clams and highly active
cephalopods. Majority of Molluscs are aquatic, occupying both fresh and marine waters, while
some species live on land as well.

Characteristic Features of the Phylum Mollusca

• They are unsegmented, triploblastic coelomates.

• They are bilaterally symmetrical.
• They have soft unsegmented bodies consisting of distinct head, dorsal visceral mass
(hump) and a ventral muscular foot.
• A hard, calcareous shell secreted by mantle, protecting the body is common.
• Uses gills and lungs for respiration,
• No limb
• Main body cavity is a haemocoel

Classification of the Phylum Mollusca

There are three important classes of this phylum. These include:

1. Class Gastropoda (gastropods).

2. Class Pelecypoda (bivalves).
3. Class Cephalopoda (cephalopods).

Features Gastropoda Pelecypoda Cephalopoda

Habitat Terrestrial, marine and Aquatic Aquatic. Largest and

freshwater most complex molluscs.

Body Asymmetrical Bilateral symmetry Bilateral symmetry

Symmetry

The Shell Shell of one piece, usually Shell consists of two Shell often reduced and
coiled due to rotation of hinged halves hence the internal or wholly
hump during growth name bivalves. Body absent.
enclosed by the valves and
laterally compressed.

The Foot Large flat foot used in Foot reduced in size and Adapted for fast
locomotion. often used for burrowing swimming. Foot
in sand and mud. modified to form part of
head and tentacles.

The Head Head, eyes and sensory Head greatly reduced in Head highly developed
tentacles size, tentacles absent. with tentacles with
suckers, and well-
developed eyes.

Feeding Radula, a rasping tongue- Filter feeder Radula and horny beak.
like structure used in
feeding.

Location of Anus is anterior Anus is posterior Anus is posterior

Anus

Example Helix aspersa (land snail), Ostrea (oyster), Clams, Octopus vulgaris
Patella (limpet), Buccinum and Mytilus edulis (marine (octopus), Sepia
(whelk), Limax (slug). mussel), etc. officinalis (cuttlefish),
Loligo (squids),
Nautilus, etc
Representative Example: Giant Land Snail (Achatina sp)

External Features

• Snails belong to the class gastropods which is the largest class of Mollusca.
• They differ from other groups in four major ways based on their external features. These
features are:
➢ There is development of a distinct head
➢ Body shows dorsoventral elongation.
➢ A spiral asymmetrical shell that serves as a protective retreat for the animal.
➢ Visceral mass undergoes a 90 to 180 degree twist with respect to head and foot, a
phenomenon known as torsion.
•

Adaptation of Gastropoda to Their Environment

• Their foot is a flat creeping sole, ciliated and the gland cells located in the foot secrets
mucus over which the animal moves (Locomotion).
• In burrowing forms, the foot acts like a plough and anchor Limpets, slipper snails are
adapted for clinging to rocks and shells.
• In a group of pelagic gastropods (sea-butter fish), the foot is modified into effective fun-
like swimming organs.
• The land snails among gastropod have their mantle highly vascularized and converted
limbs a lung for purposes of gas exchange.
• Gastropods exhibit a variety of feeding habits. There are herbivores, carnivores,
scavengers, parasites.
• Gastropods may be hermaphrodites or dioecious
• Fertilization is mostly internal Fertilized eggs may sometimes be enclosed in egg
capsules
PHYLUM ARTHROPODA

The Phylum Arthropoda is the largest group of the animal Kingdom surpassing in the number of
species of all the other phyla combined. It contains over 700,000 species. The animals belonging
to this Phylum occur all over the globe at altitudes of over 6,500 metres on mountains to depths
of over 6,000 metres in the sea. Different species are adapted for life in the air, on land, in soil
and in fresh or salt waters. Some are parasites on plants and on or in the bodies of other animals.
Some are gregarious (live in groups) and several kinds of colonial insects have evolved social
organizations with division of members into different castes. Many members are of very great
economics importance, such as large crabs, shrimps and lobsters, which are eaten by men.

Characteristic/Distinguishing Features of Phylum Arthropoda

• The body is usually segmented and bilaterally symmetrical.

• Segments are fused to form head, thorax and abdomen.
• Majority of the segments bear a pair of jointed appendages each.
• A hardened, non-living exoskeleton containing chitin in secreted by the epidermis; it is
periodically moulted as long as the animal continues to grow in size.
• There is usually a highly developed muscular system, with numerous separate muscles,
composed of finely striated and quickly contracting fibers.
• The digestive tract is complete; the mouth parts are provided with lateral jaws, the mouth
parts may be adapted for chewing or for piercing and sucking liquid food.
• The cilia and flagella are absent.
• The circulatory system is of ‘open’ type; the heart is dorsal, distributing blood by artery
to organs and tissues, from where it returns through the body spaces (haemocoels) to the
heart.
• The coelom is greatly reduced.
• The nervous system is of the annelidan type, consisting of paired dorsal ganglia over the
mouth, a ring or collar round the gullet and a ventral chain of ganglia.
• The sexes are usually separate and the male and female are easily distinguishable.
• Fertilization is internal and most arthropods undergo a more or less extensive meta-
 Classification of Arthropods

The Phylum arthropods are divided into the following classes.

1. Crustacea e.g. Crabs, Prawns, Lobsters etc.

2. Insecta e.g. grasshopper, cockroach, housefly etc.
3. Chilopoda e.g. Centipede
4. Diplopoda e.g. Millipede
5. Arachnida e.g. Spiders, Scorpions, mites, ticks etc.

Characteristic Differences among the Classes of Arthropoda

Features Crustacea Insecta Chilopoda Diplopoda Arachnida

Habitat Mainly Aquatic Mainly Mainly Terrestrial Terrestrial Terrestrial

Terrestrial

Body Two – Three – Well Two – Distinct Two – Distinct Two –

Division Cephalothorax defined head, head with other head with other Cephalothorax
(head and thorax thorax and body segments body segments (head and
not distintly abdomen similar similar thorax not
separate) and distintly
abdomen separate) and
abdomen

Antennae Two Pairs One pair One pair One pair No antennae

Mouth Usually three Usually three One pair of mouth One pair of mouth No true mouth
Parts pairs of mouth- pairs of mouth- parts (mandibles parts (mandibles parts
parts. parts. only) only)

Eyes A pair of A pair of A pair of A pair of Four pairs of

 compound eyes compound eyes compound, simple compound, simple simple eyes
carried on stalks. and simple eyes. eyes or absent. eyes or absent.

Legs Five pairs of legs Three pairs of Identical one pair Identical two pairs Four pairs of
with the first pair legs on the of leg per segment. of legs per legs on
modified for thorax only. segment. cephalothorax.
feeding.

Larval Larval form Life cycle No larval form No larval form No larval form
Form occurs commonly
involves
metamorphosis
either complete
or incomplete
with a larva
stage.

Wings Absent Present Absent Absent Absent

Structure Gills Tracheae Tracheae Tracheae Lung books, gill

for books or
Gaseous tracheae.
Exchange

Example Daphnia (water- Periplaneta Lithobius Iulus (Millipede) Scorpio

flea), Astacus (Cockroach), (centipede) (Scorpion),
(crayfish), Apis (Bee), Epeira (web-
Barnacles, Pieris spinning
Prawns, crabs, (butterfly), bugs, spider), mites,
lobsters and beetles, fleas, ticks.
wasps, flies,
woodlice. dragonflies,
termites,
grasshoppers,
earwigs.
PHYLUM ECHINODERMATA

• This group includes star fishes, sea urchins, sea-lilies and others, all of which live in the
sea.
• Some of the Echinoderms crawl slowly in the shallow waters along the shore or lie
partially concealed in the holes of the rooks while other like sea-lilies are found attached
deep down at the bottom. The Phylum includes some 6000 known species.

Characteristic Features of Phylum Echinodermata

• All Echinoderms are marine animals, and the adults are mostly with Pentamerous radial
symmetry (i. e. can be divided into 5 equal parts).
• Body is not metamerically segmented;
• Could be rounded, cylindrical or star shaped without head.
• They have no brain, only few specialized sense organs.
• They have a complete digestive system.
• Locomotive is mainly by tube feet, in some by means of spines or by movement of arms.
• They have no olfactory organs.
• Sexes are separate, fertilization is external.
• They have indeterminate type of development.
• Respiration is by dermal branchiae, tube feet or respiratory trees.
• They have an internal skeleton (endoskeleton) made up of plates of calcium carbonate,
imbedded in the body wall.

Classification of Echinoderms

The Phylum Echinodermata includes five classes. They are:

a. Class Asteroidea e.g. Star Fishes

b. Class Ophiuroidea e. g. Brittle Stars
c. Class Echinoidea e. g. Sea Urchins
d. Class Holothuroidea e.g. Sea-Cucumbers
e. Class Crinoidea e. g. Sea Lilies
Star Fish

• They are star shaped. –

• Arms are not sharply demarcated from central disc; -
• Tube feet are on oral side and with suckers –
• Arms and Madreporite (a hole through which water enters the body) are on the aboral
side (the upper surface of the animal) –
• Pedicellaria are present (these are specialized jaw-like or pincer-like appendages).

Ecological Adaptation

a. Possession of specialized jaw-like or pincer-like appendages on their body surface for the
protection of the animals from small animals and larvae that try to settle on the sea stars.
b. Possession of a well-developed water vascular system which functions as a locomotor
and for food gathering. –
c. The water vascular system also serves in respiration and excretion. –
d. Most are scavengers or carnivores feedings on snails, other echinoderms, fish, sponges,
sea anemones etc. some feeds on plankton.
e. Possession of tube feet which also, principally serves as respiratory organs.