Phylum - Porifera
● Marine animals
● Asymmetrical
● Diploblastic organisms
● Possess a water or canal system for gathering food, respiratory exchange
and removal of waste
● Water → Ostia → Spongocoel → Osculum
● Spongocoel and canals are lined with Choanocytes or collar cells
● Body is supported by spicules and spongin fibres
● Digestion is intracellular
● They are hermaphrodite
● Reproduction is both asexual and sexual
Phylum - Coelenterala (Cnidaria)
● Tentacles with cnidoblasts (stinging cells)
● Aquatic, mostly marine and sessile or free-swimming
● Radial symmetry
● Tissue level of organisation and diploblastic organisms
● Cnidoblast cells for anchorage, defence and capturing the prey
● Gastro-vascular cavity with mouth on hypostome
● Digestion is both intracellular and extracellular
● Alternation of generation (metagenesis)
● Medusae form polyps sexually and polyps form medusae asexually
Phylum - Ctenophora
● Exclusively marine
● Radial symmetry
● Acoelomate, diploblastic and tissue level of organisation
● Locomotion is by ciliated comb plates
● Digestion - both intracellular and extracellular
● Shows Bioluminescence (ability to emit light)
● They are hermaphrodite or monoecious
● Reproduction is sexual
Phylum - Platyhelminthes
● Unsegmented, dorso-ventrally flattened body
● Endoparasites and possess hooks and suckers
● Bilateral symmetry
● Acoelomate, triploblastic and organ level of organisation
● Digestive system is incomplete
● Osmoregulation and excretion by flame cells
● They are hermaphrodite, monoecious or bisexual organisms
Phylum - Aschelminthes
● Free-living and may occur in water or within the soil
● Bilateral symmetry
● Pseudocoelomate, triploblastic and organ system level of organisation
● Alimentary canal is complete with a developed muscular pharynx
● Body is circular in cross section
● An excretory tube to remove waste
● Shows sexual dimorphism (females are longer than males)
Phylum - Annelida
● Aquatic, terrestrial and free-living or parasitic
● Bilateral symmetry
● Coelomate
● Shows metameric segmentation
● Locomotion is by circular and longitudinal muscles
● Locomotary organs - Setae in earthworms & Parapodia in Nereis
● Closed circulatory system
● Excretion by Nephridia
● Can be both unisexual or bisexual
● Reproduction is sexual
Phylum - Arthropoda
● Aquatic or terrestrial
● Bilateral symmetry
● Coelomate, body cavity is lined by mesoderm
● External segmentation
● Head, thorax and abdomen
● Jointed appendages
● Body is covered by Chitinous cuticle (exoskeleton)
● Excretion by Malpighian tubules
● Respiration through gills, book gills, book lungs or tracheal system
● Open circulatory system
● Oviparous
Phylum - Mollusca
● Terrestrial or aquatic
● Covered by calcareous shell
● Unsegmented with distinct head, muscular foot and visceral hump
● Head has sensory tentacles
● Feather-like gills for respiration & excretion
● Mouth contains radula
● Dioecious
Phylum - Echinodermata
● Adults - Radial & Larvae - Bilateral
● Endoskeleton of calcareous ossicles (spinny bodied)
● Water vascular system for locomotion, capturing food and respiration
● Excretory system - absent
● Digestion is complete
Phylum - Hemichordata
● Exclusively marine and live in burrows
● Body is formed of proboscis, collar and trunk
● Collar bears stomochord
● Excretion by Proboscis gland
● Open circulatory system and respiration through several pairs of gills
