H Y D R O S TAT I C
MOVEMENT
STRUCTURE AND FUNCTIONS OF
I N V E RT E B R AT E S & V E RT E B R AT E S
{M.SC.-203}
M.SC. ZOOLOGY 2ND SEMESTER
SUBMITTED TO : S U B M I T T E D BY:
DR. Anuradha Sharma Samridhi
Assistant Professor 240812140019
D E PA RT M E N T O F Z O O L O G Y
SCVB GOVERNMENT COLLEGE ,
PA L A M P U R
HYDROSTATIC MOVEMENT
Hydrostatic movement in invertebrates refers to a form of locomotion
or shape change that relies on a hydrostatic skeleton—a structure
supported by fluid pressure within a body cavity rather than by bones.
Key Features of Hydrostatic Movement:
1. Fluid-Filled Cavity: Many invertebrates have a body cavity (like a
coelom or pseudocoelom) filled with incompressible fluid.
2. Muscle Contractions: Circular and longitudinal muscles surround the
cavity. Contraction of these muscles changes the shape of the body,
pushing against the fluid and creating movement.
Circular muscles contract → body becomes longer and thinner.
Longitudinal muscles contract → body becomes shorter and thicker.
3. Pressure and Shape Control: The incompressible fluid distributes
the pressure evenly, allowing precise and flexible control of
movement and posture.
Advantages:
Lightweight and flexible.
Effective in aquatic and soft terrestrial environments.
HYDROSTATIC MOVEMENT IN
COELENTERATES
Coelenterates (also called Cnidarians) include jellyfish, hydra, sea
anemones, and corals. Most of them are aquatic, soft-bodied
organisms that lack rigid skeletons, so they rely on a hydrostatic
skeleton for movement and structural support.
Basic Body Structure of Coelenterates
Coelenterates have a diploblastic body (two layers: epidermis and
gastrodermis) surrounding a central gastrovascular cavity.
The gastrovascular cavity is filled with fluid, and this acts as a
hydrostatic skeleton.
They also have nerve nets, which coordinate muscular movements.
Their body wall contains muscle-like epithelial cells that can contract.
Mechanism of Hydrostatic Movement
Hydrostatic movement in coelenterates works through the interaction of
muscle contractions and fluid pressure in the gastrovascular cavity. Here's
how it works:
1. Fluid-Filled Gastrovascular Cavity
Acts like a closed, pressurized chamber.
The fluid inside is incompressible, so any pressure applied is distributed
evenly.
2. Muscle Contractions
The body wall contains longitudinal and circular (or radial) muscle
fibers.
Contraction of these muscles alters body shape by redistributing
the fluid.
3. Coordinated Movement
Circular muscle contraction makes the body elongate by pushing
the fluid lengthwise.
Longitudinal muscle contraction makes the body shorten and
widen.
These movements, along with cilia or tentacle motion, allow
swimming, bending, and other forms of locomotion.
HYDRA SHOWS MOVEMENT
OF FOLLOWING TYPES :-
[a] Expansion and contraction
Hydra attach to any substratum frequently expand and contract
itself at intervals. This behavior is refer as contraction burst. It is
initiated by pacemaker located near the hypostome. This movement
allow to bring food to organism with the help of tentacles that are
waved around in water. Capture of the prey can be also done with
elongation of one side while contraction of other end of tentacles.
b] Looping
In looping motion body first extend and then bend over so that
tentacles attach to substratum with the help of adhesive glutinane
nematocyst. Then pedal disc is release and bought closer to circlet
of tentacles and then attach. Now tentacles are loosen body
becomes erect again and again appears like a series of looping
movement of caterpillar or leech.
c] Gliding
For moving the short distance along the smooth surface, hydra
simply glides along its basal disc like a snail, it can slide or glide
slowly over the substratum with the help of creeping amoeboid
movement of cells of pedal disc. A considerable amount of distance
can be covered with the help of this motion.
[d] Somersaulting
In this process of movement the tentacular end is bought forward
and attach to substratum. The pedal disc is freed and moved
upwards, thus by causing hydra to assume an invert posture. Now
pedal disc is moved forward and attached to new position. By
freeing the tentacular end and animal again comes to its upright
position. An animal perform series of somersault by repeating the
process.
[e] Walking
Occasionally hydra becomes inverted stands on its tentacles and
moves in an inverted condition using the tentacles as its legs. This
type of movement takes place on particular objects such as leaves in
its resting time.
f] Climbing
While changing location in a limited area, can even climb by
attaching its long tentacles to some objects releasing the foot, and
then contracting the tentacles, so that the body is lifted up.
g] Floating
Occasionally, hydra throws its body free and floats on water surface
with waves. While other time it attach to a floating leaves or twig
through its pedal disc.
h] Surfacing
It is a process in which hydra secretes gas bubble by the cell of its
pedal disc to elevate in water and float over water surface. It the gas
bubble burst, the mucous thread sustain the body on water surface
due to surface tension.
[i] Swimming
It is said that sometimes hydra frees itself from substratum and
swims in water by undulating, wave like motion of tentacles and
body.
HYDROSTATIC LOCOMOTION IN
ANNELIDS
Annelids (e.g., earthworms, leeches, and marine worms) have a
hydrostatic skeleton that allows them to move efficiently, especially
in soil or aquatic environments.
Body Structure
Annelids have a segmented body, and each segment (called a
metamere) contains fluid-filled compartments (coelom).
The coelomic fluid acts as a hydrostatic skeleton.
The body wall has two main muscle layers:
Circular muscles (around the body)
Longitudinal muscles (along the length of the body)
Mechanism of Movement
Movement is mainly achieved through peristalsis, a wave-like motion
of muscular contractions.
1. Circular Muscle Contraction (Elongation)
Circular muscles contract in the front segments.
This causes those segments to become long and thin.
Coelomic fluid pressure increases along the length, pushing the body
forward.
The setae are withdrawn from the soil in these segments to allow
movement.
2. Anchoring
Once extended, the front segments anchor into the soil using
setae.
This provides grip so the body doesn’t slide backward.
3. Longitudinal Muscle Contraction (Shortening)
Longitudinal muscles contract in the rear segments.
This causes the segments to become short and fat, pulling the rest
of the body forward.
Meanwhile, the rear setae are retracted to allow movement.
4. Repetition
These alternating contractions continue from front to back in a
wave-like pattern, moving the worm forward.
It has been calculated that by this method earthworm travels about
25cm in 1 minute.
When direction of wave reversed the worm crawls back.
During locomotion coelomic fluid serves as hydraulic skeleton. When
contraction of circular muscle takes place body becomes stiff and
aid the relaxation of longitudinal muscles.
[B] HIRUDINARIA GRANULOSA : INDIAN
CATTLE LEECH
It performs two types of movement looping or crawling and
swimming
Looping or crawling movement
These is perform with the help of muscles and sucker which serves
for its attachment.
Leech fix its posterior sucker firmly on substratum and secretes the
slimy secretion from the sucker gland.
This allow the contraction of circular muscles and relaxation of
longitudinal muscles hence the anterior part of body is extended as
far as possible.
When leech fixes the anterior sucker it leads to relaxation of circular
muscles and contraction of longitudinal muscles takes place which
allow release of posterior sucker and allow to shorten the body
When posterior end is moved forward closer to anterior sucker loop
formation will take place.
Again same process will be repeated. This type of motion is refer to
as leech like locomotion.
LOCOMTION IN
ECHINODERMS
Echinoderms (phylum Echinodermata) include marine animals like
starfish, sea urchins, and sea cucumbers. Though they lack bones,
they exhibit hydrostatic movement primarily through a unique water
vascular system, which functions as a type of hydrostatic skeleton.
Key Feature: Water Vascular System
The water vascular system is a network of fluid-filled canals that
help in movement, feeding, gas exchange, and sensory reception. It
is unique to echinoderms and plays a central role in hydrostatic
locomotion.
Main Components of the Water Vascular System
1. Madreporite: A sieve-like structure on the body surface that
takes in seawater.
2. Stone Canal: Connects the madreporite to the ring canal.
3. Ring Canal: Circular canal around the mouth.
4. Radial Canals: Extend along each arm (in starfish).
5. Lateral Canals: Branch off the radial canals.
6. Tube Feet (Podia): Extend from the ambulacral grooves, used
for movement and attachment.
Mechanism of Hydrostatic
Movement
Movement occurs through tube feet, which function by hydraulic
pressure. Here’s how the mechanism works:
1. Water Intake and Distribution
Water enters through the madreporite and flows into the stone
canal, then to the ring canal.
From the ring canal, water moves into radial canals and then into
lateral canals, reaching the tube feet.
2. Filling of Ampullae
Each tube foot has an internal bulb-like structure called an
ampulla.
The ampulla fills with water and then contracts, forcing water into
the podium (the foot's extension), causing it to extend outward.
3. Attachment and Movement
The extended tube foot attaches to a surface using suction.
Then, the longitudinal muscles in the podium contract, forcing
water back into the ampulla and shortening the foot, which pulls
the body forward.
4. Repetition
A coordinated wave of tube feet extending, attaching, and
contracting causes slow but steady locomotion.
