Biology 11 Phylum Echinodermata

Starfish epidemic video questions: What is happening to starfish off the Pacific Coast?

Name:_________________________

What role do starfish play in Pacific Ocean ecosystems?

Echino = spiny; derm = skin; examples: sea stars, brittle stars, sea urchins, sea cucumber, sand dollar. Phylum Characteristics: o 1. spiny skin o 2. five-part radial symmetry o 3. internal skeleton composed of calcium carbonate o 4. water vascular system o 5. tube feet Lack cephalization (no brain); have oral (mouth) and aboral surface Water vascular system = series of internal water-filled tubes. Open to outside through madreporite. Water vascular system controls suction in tube feet. Feeding o carnivores (starfish) pry open shells with tube feet; eject stomach from mouth; release enzymes to digest prey and absorb nutrients o herbivores (sea urchins) scrape algae off rocks with five-part jaw o filter feeders (sea lilies, basket stars) use tube feet on flexible arms to catch plankton o detritus feeders (sea cucumbers) take in mixture of material. Undigested material passes out in feces.

Respiration gas exchange occurs across walls of tube feet; some species use small skin gills for gas exchange Internal transport gas exchange through tube feet located all over body; nutrients distributed through digestive glands and internal fluids Excretion excrete feces through anus; metabolic wastes excreted where gas exchange takes place: tube feet and skin gills

 Nervous system simple nervous system; nerve ring surrounds mouth, radial nerves connect body sections to nerve ring. Sensory cells include: o chemosensory cells scattered across body o light-sensitive cells form eyespots at tip of starfish arms o some echinoderms have statocysts Movement all species use tube feet. Other forms of movement vary depending on structure of endoskeleton and include: o use of spines (e.g. sea urchin) o flapping arms to swim (e.g. feather stars) o crawling using muscles (e.g. sea cucumber) Reproduction most individuals are male or female (dioecious species); some hermaphrodites o Asexual reproduction: starfish can regenerate when ripped apart, as long as the limb includes a portion of the central ring. o Sexual reproduction: release sperm and eggs into the water (external fertilization). Free-swimming larvae have bilateral symmetry.