PHYLUM
CNIDARIA
by Thereynz Graciano
BS BIology (TF 2:30 PM - 7 PM)
Objectives
to understand what organisms
and classes are in Phylum
Cnidaria
to determine the structures
that make them unique from
other phyla
to know the reproduction and
life cycle of Cnidarians
What is Phylum
Cnidaria?
Phylum Cnidaria is a group of aquatic animals
known for their distinctive radial symmetry and
specialized stinging cells called cnidocytes, which
are used for prey capture and defense.
Phylum Cnidaria falls under Kingdom Animalia in
Domain Eukarya and is subdivided into several
classes: Hydrozoa (hydras and some jellyfish),
Scyphozoa (true jellyfish), Anthozoa (corals and sea
anemones), Staurozoa (stalked jellyfish) and
Cubozoa (box jellyfish).
Polyp and Medusa
Cnidocytes
Reproduction and
Life Cycle
Classes
Anthozoa
Scyphozoa
Staurozoa
Cubozoa
Hydrozoa
Zoanthos sp.
Anthozoa
Only have a polyp form
includes sea anemones, sea pens, and corals, with
about 6,100 known species.
Plumapathes pennacea
They typically have a cylindrical shape and attach
themselves to surfaces.
Their mouths are surrounded by tentacles with
stinging cells called cnidocytes.
Heliopora coerulea
Lion's mane jellyfish
Scyphozoa (Cyanea capillata)
also called true jellyfish
They are medusa.
Crown jellyfish (Cephea cephea)
these creatures can be between 2 to 40 cm long.
they exhibit both a medusal and polypoid body
plan at some point in their life cycle
Moon jellyfish (Aurelia auretia)
Stalked trumpet jelly
Staurozoa (Depastromorpha africana)
are little stalked jellyfish
have a bell-shaped body with eight arms. Haliclystus stejnegeri
they reproduce by developing directly from tiny
larvae called planula
Haliclystus auricula
Tripedalia cystophora
Cubozoa
commonly referred to as "box jellyfish,"
has a box-shaped medusa or square bell
Carybdea marsupialis
these species can reach sizes ranging from
15 to 25 cm.
they can bud to form additional polyps to
expand their habitat, eventually
transforming into medusoid forms
Australian box jelly (Chironex fleckeri)
Portuguese Man o’ war
Hydrozoa (Physalia physalisis)
body consists of a dome-like umbrella
ringed by tentacles.
A tube-like structure hangs down from the
centre of the umbrella and includes the
Brown Hydra (Hydra oligactis)
mouth at its tip.
Most hydrozoan medusae have just four
tentacles
majority of the animals in this class are
polymorphs
Aglantha digitale
