Invertebrate Comparison Paragraphs

Ecology of Sponges:
Sponges are ideal habitats for marine animals because they contain bacteria.
Bacteria takes ammonia to produce a nitrogen with more nutrients that makes the
environment more hospitable for other animals. Sponges have mutually beneficial
(symbiotic) relationships with other microorganisms like green algae, heterotrophic
bacteria, archaea, and red algae. For example, bacteria lives in the sponge for
protection and isolation while the bacteria transfer metabolites to the sponge like
nutrients of nitrogen and carbon fixation. Microorganisms on the outer tissue of the
sponge allow sponges to get enough light to carry out photosynthesis. For example,
photosynthetic algae (green algae) on the surface catches light that allow the sponge to
produce sugar and live.
Porifera and Cnidaria Comparison:
Animals of Porifera are asymmetrical while Cnidarians have radial symmetry.
Both have a body cavity, but Cnidarians have a gastrovascular cavity with specialized
cells in order for the cavity to digest. Porifera digest intracellularly and Cnidarians digest
extracellularly. Porifera are filter feeders while Cnidarians use stun their prey with their
cnidocytes (stinging cells). Both use diffusion for respiration, circulation, and excretion.
While Porifera have no nerve response, Cnidarians have a nerve net. Both can
reproduce asexually or sexually, but Porifera have internal fertilization while Cnidarians
have external fertilization and specialized reproductive organs called gonads.
Porifera, Cnidaria, and Annelida Comparison:
Porifera, Cnidaria, and Annelida use diffusion for respiration, but Annelids have a
closed circulatory system, and nephridia which is like an excretory system. However,
Porifera and Cnidaria can reproduce asexually and sexually while Annelida only
reproduce sexually. Porifera have internal fertilization while Cnidaria and Annelids have
external fertilization. Unlike Porifera, Cnidaria and Annelids have specialized
reproductive organs or gonads. Annelida have male seminal vesicles and female
seminal receptors. Porifera have no nervous system, Cnidaria have a nerve net, and
Annelids have simple nervous system with cephalization and centralization. Porifera are
asymmetrical, Cnidaria are radially symmetrical, and Annelida are bilaterally
symmetrical. All have a central cavity of some kind, but the Cnidaria have a
gastrovascular cavity and Annelids have a pseudocoelom. Porifera and Annelids are
filter feeders while Cnidaria paralyze their prey with specialized cells called cnidocytes.
Porifera digest intracellularly while Cnidaria digest extracellularly with specialized
organs (gastrovascular cavity and gizzard). However, Annelids have a full digestive
system. Most importantly, Annelids show the first signs of segmentation.
Mollusca Compared with Porifera, Cnidaria, and Annelida:

Mollusks have bilateral symmetry like seen in Annelids, but Mollusks have a true
coelom (segmented) not a pseudocoelom. Mollusks are filter feeders like Porifera and
Annelids, but Porifera do not have a full digestive system like Annelids and Mollusks.
However, some Mollusks are herbivores, carnivores, parasites, or detritivores. Porifera,
Cnidaria, Annelida, and Mollusca all use respire using diffusion. Mollusks have a closed
or open circulatory system with blood vessels and a heart. This is more developed than
the Annelids closed circulatory system. Mollusks have nephridia like Annelids, that
serve as the excretory system. Both Annelids and Mollusks have nervous systems with
cephalization and centralization. In Mollusks, reproduction varies among the species.
Some are hermaphroditic like Annelids, and some undergo external fertilization while
others undergo internal fertilization.
Arthropoda Compared with Porifera, Cnidaria, Annelida, and Mollusca
Arthropods have bilateral symmetry and a true coelom like the Mollusks, but
Arthropods show the first signs of mouthparts like a jaw and pincers (fangs). Arthropods
use diffusion for respiration like the other phyla, but Arthropods have tracheal tubes,
spiracles, and book lungs. Arthropods have an open circulatory system unlike Annelids
and some Cnidarians (closed) but similar to other Cnidarians. Aquatic Arthropods use
diffusion for excretion like the phyla Porifera and Cnidaria, but Terrestrial Arthropods
have and excretory system more complex than the phyla Annelida and Mollusca with
malpighian tubules to extract waste from blood and transfer it to the feces. Arthropods
have a well-developed nervous system with cephalization and centralization like
Mollusks. However, Arthropods have more developed brains and nerve cord that control
movement. Arthropods reproduce sexually like Mollusks. Aquatic Arthropods undergo
internal or external fertilization similar to the phyla Mollusca. Terrestrial Arthropods
undergo internal fertilization only like the phyla Porifera.