ECHINODERMATA

De La Salle University-Dasmarinas

College Of Science

Group Members:
Martinez, Marie Kariza

Mascardo, Rizza Camille

Noche, Camile Elaine

Year and Section:

Human Biology 2-3

Submitted To:

Ms. America
Introduction

The Echinodermata, (from the Greek meaning spiny skin), is a phylum containing
about 6000 species, and constitutes the only major group
of deuterostome invertebrates. Since most echinoderms possess some form
of calcareous skeleton, we have a very good fossil record of the evolution of this group,
although many aspects of their evolution are far from clear. Their relationship to other
phyla is also poorly understood, for the echinoderms were already well differentiated at
the onset of the Palaeozoic era, and their distinctive characteristics seem to be
unparalleled in any other group.The echinoderms are a large and successful, entirely
marine group of coelomate animals. They are mainly free-living, but fossil evidence
indicates that they are derived from sessile ancestors and they have shown two
mutually opposing trends. The first trend has been towards a free-living habit, with the
development of jaws and oral appendages for seeking out food. The second, more
primitive trend, has been to adopt a sessile habit and become attached to the
substratum by the aboral surface or stalk. The crinoids are the only surviving group
whose members are primarily sessile.

General agreement has yet to be reached on many points of echinoderm

classification, as may be seen from the alternative classification to be found in different
textbooks. However, most workers divide the living echinoderms into four
classes; Crinoidea,Stelleroidea, Echinoidea and Holothuroidea.Echinoderms are among
the most distinctive of all animal phyla. Inclusion in the phylum is readily diagnosable on
basis of the four synapomorphies below. Most of these features are present, or can be
inferred, even in the earliest fossils. Together, these synapomorphies define much of
what makes the functional biology of echinoderms distinctive from that of other
metazoans. Most living echinoderms, like this sand dollar from Baja California,
are pentameral; that is, they have fivefold symmetry, with rays or arms in fives or
multiples of five. However, a number of fossil echinoderms were not pentameral at all,
and some had downright bizarre shapes. Echinoderms have a system of internal water-
filled canals, which in many echinoderms form suckered "tube feet", with which the
animal may move or grip objects.

Objectives

1. To cite some common characteristics of echinoderms.

2. To familiarize and differentiate its classes.

Materials
Scoop net Sticks
Bottles Pales
Plastics
Results and Discussion

Asterias forbesii
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Echinodermata
Class: Asteroidea
Order: Valvatida
Family: Ophidiasteridae
Genus: Nardoa
Species: novaecaledoniae
Description:
Starfish or sea stars are echinoderms belonging to the class Asteroidea. The
names "starfish" and "sea star" essentially refer to members of the Class Asteroidea.
However, common usage frequently finds "starfish" and "sea star" also applied
to ophiuroids which are correctly referred to as "brittle stars" or "basket stars". The body
of most species consists of a central disk from which radiate a number of tapering arms usually
five, but up to 25 in some species. Some sea stars are pentagonal, the points of the disk not
extending into arms. Each arm contains an extension of the body cavity and body organs. A
network of calcareous plates located beneath the skin forms an external skeleton; the plates are
joined by connective tissue and muscle, giving the apparently rigid sea star considerable
flexibility. Calcareous spines, some of them movable, project from the skin.
 Parastichopus californicus

Kingdom : Animalia
Phylum : Echinodermata
Subphylum : Echinozoa
Class : Holothuroidea
Order : Aspidochirotida
Family: Holothuriidae
Genus: Holothuria
Species:Holothuria pardalis

Description:
Sea cucumbers are echinoderms from the class Holothuroidea. They are marine
animals with a leathery skin and an elongated body containing a single,
branched gonad. Sea cucumbers are found on the sea floor worldwide. Like all
echinoderms, sea cucumbers have an endoskeleton just below the skin, calcified
structures that are usually reduced to isolated microscopic ossicles (or sclerietes) joined
by connective tissue. Although sea cucumbers have the basic echinoderm radial
symmetry, they do not have arms like starfish. Instead the oral-anal distance is greatly
increased, resulting in the typical cucumber-shaped body. Sea cucumbers live with one
side facing permanently down. Like other echinoderms, sea cucumbers have a water-
vascular system; the locomotor tube feet are concentrated in three areas on the ventral,
or under, side, in some species forming a muscular, creeping sole. 
 Sterechinus neumayeri

Kingdom : Animalia
Phylum : Echinodermata
Subphylum : Echinozoa
Class : Echinoidea
Order: Diadematoida
Family: Diadematidae
Genus: Diadema
Species: Diadema setosum

Description:

Sea urchins or urchins are small, spiny, globular animals which, with their close kin, such
as sand dollars, constitute the class Echinoidea of the echinoderm phylum. They inhabit all
oceans. Their shell, or "test", is round and spiny, typically from 3 to 10 centimetres across. They
move slowly, feeding mostly on algae. Sea otters, wolf eels, triggerfish, and other predators
feed on them. Humans harvest them and serve their roe as a delicacy. The
name urchin is an old name for the round spiny hedgehogs that sea urchins resemble.
Sea urchins have a system of hard jaws and teeth for grinding food. Because the Greek
philosopher and naturalist, Aristotle, described the structure, it is known as Aristotle’s
lantern. Aristotle’s lantern is made of five long, chisel-like teeth that meet at the mouth
opening.
 Clypeaster subdepressus

Kingdom : Animalia

Phylum : Echinodermata

Class : Echinoidea

Order : Clypeasteroida
Suborder : Scutellina
Family : Dendrasteridae
Genus : Dendraster
Species: Dendraster excentricus
Description:
The sand dollar has a rigid, flattened, disk-shaped test, or shell, made of firmly
united plates lying just beneath the thin skin. Small spines that densely cover the test
enable the animal to burrow in sand just below the surface. Like other members of its
class, the sand dollar is radially symmetrical. It also shows evidence of a secondary
bilateral symmetry, i.e., the mouth is centered on the oral (under) surface, but the anus
lies near the rear edge of the test. Tube feet are similar to those in other echinoderms
and are used for locomotion and to convey small food particles, mostly organic matter
found in sand, to the mouth. Tube feet on the upper surface are used for respiration.
Sand dollars differ from the closely related heart urchins by their shorter spines and
more flattened shape. More convex, short-spined sand dollars are called sea biscuits.
Sand dollars are abundant on the sandy bottom of deeper waters on both the Atlantic
and Pacific coasts. They are classified in the phylum Echinodermata, class Echinoidea,
order Clypeastroida.