ZOOLOGY HONOURS SECOND SEMESTER 2020: ZOOCOR08

Larva of Echinoderms

Develpoment of Echinoderms undergoes radial or biradial cleavage. It is

holoblastic type. Cleavage ends in a stage known as coeblastula. An
invagination at the vegetal pole makes the primitive gut (archenteron), and this
time coeloblastula is called gastrula. The blastopore, the opening of gastrular
archenteron forms the anus of larva. The anterior of archenteron produces
coelom. Thus echinoderm juveniles become larva when the primordium of
coelom, gut formation, and development of one or more locomotor bands of
cilia becomes complete.

Ciliated larvae vary from one Class to another, the simplest is the auricularia of
sea cucumbers (Holothuroideans), and several modifications are followed as
below:

Auricularia: 1) a single locomotor band curves forward, as preoral loop, 2) a

similar anal loop at the posterior end, 3) occur in holothurians and asteroideans,

It occurs in Class Holothuroidea and Asteroidea

Doliolaria: 1) ciliarry bands are not same as auricularia, but parts of band
degenarate, 2) remaining part rearranged into 3-5 transverse bands 3) crinoids
have doliolaria same as holothurians.

It occurs in Class Holothuroidea (advancement of auricularia) and Class

Crinoidea

Bipinaria: 1) in its early stage it looks as auricularia, with same ciliary bands,
known as early bipinaria, 2) a number of larval arms develops, and loses
 ZOOLOGY HONOURS SECOND SEMESTER 2020: ZOOCOR08

auricularian form to have a form called bipinnaria, 3) in asteroids this larva swims
for several weeks and eventually form three arms (brachia):

It occurs in Class Asteroidea

Pluteus: 1) it forms as an advancement of gastrula in ophiuroids and echinouds,

though further advancement takes place to form ophiopluteus and
echinopluteus respectively: It occurs both in Class Holothuroidea and
Echinoidea.

Ophiopluteus: 1) it develops a ciliated girdle, 2) followed by this stage

four pairs appear, 3) within three weeks skeletal supports and pigmentation
develops,

Echinopluteus: 1) forms as the gastrula 2) becomes flattened on the

future oral surface, 3) posses apical tuft of cilia, 4) soon develops post oral and
anterolateral arm, 5) locomotor bands follow the margin of an oral lobe that
bends over oral surface, 6) it grows two pair of arms anterolateral and postoral
pair at the young stage, 7) soon after five pairs of arms develop, 8)

Brachiolaria: 1) it attaches on substratum by adhesive organ, 2) it is rounded

with six pair of arms, 3) anterior part degenerates, while the posterior part
metaporphoses into adult starfish;

It occurs in Class Asteroidea