Phylum Porifera

• considered as the oldest animal group.

• They are also called Sponges.
• Simplest multicellular animals.
• Even though they are multicellular, they do not have any tissues or organs.
• Sponges live in an aquatic habitat as they have to have an intimate contact with water. Water
plays a major role in the feeding, exchange of gases and as well as excretion. 
• The body of the sponges has many holes or pores called ostia.
• The body structure of sponges is designed in such a way that water moves through the body,
where it can filter out food and also absorb the dissolved oxygen, along with eliminating waste
material
• Organisms belonging to this phylum do not have specialized
digestive, nervous or circulatory system. Instead, they have a water transport or canal system,
which achieves the functions of digestion, excretion and also an exchange of gases
• Their bodies do not show any symmetry and their shape is adapted so as to allow maximum
efficiency of water flow through the central cavity that is present inside.  
• They generally feed on bacteria and other food particles that are present in the water.
• Their bodies have a large central cavity called the spongocoel. Water enters through the ostia
into the spongocoel and goes out through the osculum.
• Cells called Choanocytes or collar cells line up the spongocoel and canals, with their flagellum
protruding out. It is the beating of this flagellum from all choanocytes that moves the water all
through the body of the sponge.

Characteristic Features of PhylumPorifera

• They are generally marine aquatic organisms, with a few freshwater species.
• Their bodies are asymmetrical.
• Body shape can be cylindrical, vase-like, rounded or sac-like.
• They are diploblastic animals with two layers, the outer dermal layer and the inner gastral layer.
There is a gelatinous, non-cellular mesoglea, in between these two layers. This contains many
free amoeboid cells.
• The body has many pores called the ostia and a single large opening called an osculum at the
top.
• Spongocoel is the body cavity that is present.
• They have the characteristic canal system for the flow of water through the body.
• Sense organs are absent.
• There is an endoskeleton present with calcareous spicules (calcium carbonate) or siliceous
spicules (silica) or sponging fibres (protein).
• Sexes are not separate.
• Asexual reproduction is seen through budding, fragmentation. Sexual reproduction is seen in
certain species, through gametic fusion.
Examples
• Sycon (Scypha)
• Spongilla (Freshwater sponge)
• Euspongia (Bath sponge)

Name a freshwater sponge.

Spongilla
Where are the Choanocytes in Sponges present?
Cells called Choanocytes or collar cells are present lining the spongocoel and canals. with their
flagella protruding out.
Are Sponges diploblastic or triploblastic?
Diploblastic

Phylum Coelenterata / Cnidaria

• As you read this, you probably must be wondering if this is another group of animals that you
know nothing much about. But, if you have seen the movie, Finding Nemo, you most certainly
have seen a sea anemone on screen!
• A sea anemone is a member of Phylum Coelenterata. It has a symbiotic relationship with the
clownfish.
• Some of the other animals that belong to this phylum include coral animals, true jellies, sea
pens, comb jellies, hydra, etc. Let us learn about these fascinating creatures.
• These are typically invertebrate animals, which show a very simple level of tissue organization.
• They are aquatic animals and are mostly found in marine environments, attached to the rocks at
the bottom of the ocean.
• A few species are also found in freshwater habitats.
• Coelenterates can be found solitarily or in colonies. You can find them sedentary or free
swimming.
• Coelenterates can be called as the simplest animal group that has true tissues and have the
characteristic coelenteron or the gastrovascular cavity.

Characteristic Features of Phylum Coelenterata

• They are multicellular organisms, exhibiting tissue grade of the organization.
• They are diploblastic, with two layers of cells, an outer layer called the ectoderm and the inner
layer called the endoderm. There is a non-cellular layer that is the mesoglea in between the
ectoderm and the endoderm.
• They show radial symmetry.
• They have a single opening in the body through which food is taken in and also waste is
expelled out.
• The opening in the body is surrounded by tentacles.
• Digestion takes place in the body cavity which is the coelenteron.
• They can live in marine or freshwater habitats.
• They can be solitary or live in colonies. Each individual is a zooid.
• These organisms show two morphological forms – Polyps and Medusa.
• Polyps contain exoskeleton and endoskeleton.
• The skeletons are composed of calcium carbonate.
• Most of the coelenterates are carnivorous in nature with a few exceptions such as the corals.
They get their food from other animals that live symbiotically within them.
• Digestion is both intracellular and extracellular.
• Tentacles have special structures known as the nematocysts which help in capturing and
paralyzing prey. Coelenterates simply wave their tentacles and when a prey comes in contact,
the nematocysts inject the toxin that paralyses or kills the prey. Nematocysts are the most
distinguishing feature of this phylum.
• Coelenterates do not have sensory organs.
• Respiration and excretion occur through simple diffusion.
• The circulatory system is absent.
• Asexual reproduction is seen in polyps, through budding and sexual reproduction is seen in
medusa form, through gametic
Classification of Phylum Coelenterata
This phylum is further divides into three classes:
• Hydrozoa
• Scyphozoa
• Anthozoa
Example
• Hydra
• Aurelia ( Jellyfish)
• Physalia
• Meandrina
• Adamsia (Sea Anemone)

Polymorphism in Coelenterata
• The phenomenon of occurrence of an individual in two or more distinct morphological and
functional forms.
• It occurs in the same species of an individual.
• It is also known as genetic polymorphism. For example different individuals of a species may
remain separate as represented by various castes in termites, ants and Cuban snails.
• Polymorphism is an important feature of phylum coelenterata.
• Each individual member of Coelenterates is known as Zooid and they often unite to form a
colony which acts as a single unit (individual).

Polymorphic form in coelenterata: two types of zooids

1. Polyp:
• In Hydrozoa, polyps have a tubular body with a mouth surrounded by tentacles at one end.
Other end is blind and usually attached to pedal disc to the substratum
• Polyps are generally sessile
• They reproduce asexually
2. Medusa:
• In Hydrozoa, medusa has a bowl or umbrella shaped body with marginal tentacles and mouth
centrally located on a projection called manubrium of the lower concave surface.
• Medusas are generally motile
• They reproduce sexually
Importance of polymorphism:
• It is essential for division of labor among the individual zooids.
• Different functions are assigned to different forms. For examples; polyps are concerned with
feeding, protection and asexual reproduction whereas medusa are concerned with sexual
reproduction.
Patterns of polymorphism in Hydrozoa:
Degree of polymorphism varies greatly in different groups of Hydrozoa.
1. Dimorphic:
• It is simplest and commonest pattern of polymorphism
• They have only two types of zooids (gastrozooids and gonozooids) and the phenomenon is
known as dimorphism.
• Exhibits by many Hydrozoan colonies
• Examples: Obelia , Tubularia
2. Trimorphic:
▪ They have three types of zooids – gastrozooids, gonozooids and dactylzooids
▪ Gastrozooids is responsible for feeding and asexual reproduction.
▪ Similarly, gonozooids are responsible for sexual reproduction
▪ Dactylzooids is functionally non-feeding form and is responsible for defense.
3. Polymorphic
▪ Some coelenterate have more than three forms called polymorphism

▪ In hydractinia, five polymorphic forms or zooids exist – gatrozooids, spiral dactylzooids,

tentaculozooids, skeletozooids and gonozooids.

▪ Gastrozooids: responsible for feeding

▪ Spiral dactylzooids: responsible for protection
▪ Tentaculozooids: responsible for sensory impulse
▪ Skeletozooids: responsible for spiny projections
▪ Gonozooids: responsible for sexual reproduction

In which phylum, do organisms have nematocysts? Explain their significance.

Nematocysts are found in the organisms belonging to Phylum Coelenterata. They are microscopic
stinging structures that are present in the tentacles. Their primary use is to capture and paralyze prey
such as fishes and marine animals.
Are coelenterates diploblastic or triploblastic?
Coelenterates have two layers of cells, ectoderm and endoderm. Hence they are diploblastic.

Phylum Mollusca
• Molluscs are very diverse animals and form an important part of the ecosystem in the world.
• Some animals that you are familiar with like snails, octopuses, squids, oysters, clams etc. all
belong to Phylum Mollusca.
• Did you know that Molluscs with shells can produce pearls?
• Some of these are also eaten by humans in different regions of the world.
• Many organisms belonging to this phylum have a calciferous shell.
• The bodies are generally very soft and are covered by the hard exoskeleton.
• They can be found in terrestrial regions as well as in the depths of the seas.
• The size of the molluscans can range from 20 metres to one millimetre, with a few microscopic
animals too. These animals continue to have an important role in the lives of humans.
• They are a source of food as well as jewelry. The hard shells are used to make beautiful jewelry
pieces.
• In some regions of the world, these are also raised as pets, even though it sounds bizarre.
Pearls that are obtained from bivalves and gastropods are valuable as these pearls are lined
with nacre. Natural pearls are formed when a small foreign object gets stuck in between the
mantle and shell of the mollusc.
• The bivalve molluscs are used as bioindicators of the freshwater and marine environments. But
not all molluscans are good for humans.  Some are pests like snails and slugs.

Characteristic Features of Phylum Mollusca

• They are bilaterally symmetrical.
• They are triploblastic, with three layers.
• They show organ system grade of organization.
 • The body is soft and unsegmented.
• Body is divisible into three regions – head, a visceral mass, and ventral foot.
• Body is covered by a mantle and shell.
• They can be found in different habitats, both aquatic and terrestrial.
• The body cavity is a haemocoel, through which blood circulates.
• The digestive system is well developed and complex. It has a radula, which is a rasping
structure that has chitinous teeth. It is used in feeding.
• The nervous system is made up of paired ganglia, connectives, and nerves.
• The circulatory system is open, with heart and aorta.
• Respiration occurs through gills called ctenidia.
• The ventral muscular foot helps in locomotion.
• They have a pair of kidneys (metanephridia)
• Sexes are separate and reproduction is through sexual reproduction.
• Fertilization can be internal or external.

Classification of Phylum Mollusca

The different classes under phylum Mollusca include:
• Bivalvia
• Gastropoda
• Cephalopoda
• Monoplacophora
• Amphineura
• Scaphopoda

Classification of Mollusca
Following are the classification of Mollusca:
1. Aplacophora or Solenogasters
● The body is cylindrical or bilaterally symmetrical.
● These are devoid of the head, shell, mantel, nephridia, and foot.
● The digestive ceca is absent.
● Spicule-bearing cuticle covers the body.
● It contains a dorsal longitudinal keel or crest.
● E.g. Neomenia, Chaetoderma
2. Monoplacophora
• The body is bilaterally symmetrical.
• The head is devoid of eyes and tentacles.
• Respiration occurs through gills which are externally located.
• The nitrogenous waste is excreted out through nephridia.
• E.g. Neopilina
3. Polyplacophora
• Their body is dorsoventrally flattened like a leaf, and are bilaterally symmetrical.
• The shell is composed of 8 longitudinal plates.
• They have a well-developed radula.
• The ventral foot is flat.
• E.g. Chiton, Cryptochiton.
4. Gastropoda
• They are found either on land or in fresh and marine water.
• The head bears tentacles, eyes, and a mouth.
• The shell is spiral in shape.
• The foot is flat and large.
• E.g. Haliotis, Pila
5. Scaphopoda
• Found in the marine environment.
• The eyes and tentacles are absent.
• The foot is reduced.
• The body is bilaterally symmetrical.
6. Pelecypoda
• They reside in aquatic habitats.
• The body is bilaterally symmetrical and compressed laterally.
• The body has no distinct head.
• They usually burrow in mud and sand.
• E.g. Mussels, Unio
7. Cephalopoda
• They are mostly found in the marine environment.
• The shell is either external, internal, or not present at all.
• They have separate sexes.
• The development is direct.
• E.g. Octopus, Spirula

Write a few sentences about Octopus.

An Octopus is sometimes known as the Devilfish. It belongs to the class Cephalopoda.  It is a
soft-bodied mollusc with eight arms. Octopuses can camouflage very well in their surroundings. They
have ink glands that they use to defend themselves or escape from predators.  They show all the
characteristic features of Phylum Mollusca and are triploblastic, bilaterally symmetrical, and found in
various regions of the ocean.
Which is the second largest phylum after Arthropoda?
Phylum Mollusca.
Mantle, foot and restricted coelom are the characteristic features of which phylum?
Phylum Mollusca.

Phylum Annelida
• If you have an avid interest in gardening, you must have surely come cross earthworms.
• Did you know one can find one million earthworms in just one acre of land?
• These earthworms belong to the Phylum Annelida.
• They create healthy soil and plants grow extremely well in these types of soils.
• Having over 17,000 species
• Large phylum.
• known as ringworms or segmented worms.
• They exist in various environments including marine waters, fresh waters and also in moist
terrestrial areas.
 • The size of the annelids can range from a few millimetres to an amazing three metres in length.
The Australian earthworm measures around 3 metres. Furthermore some species from this
phylum exhibit some unique shapes and brilliant colours.
• Annelids exhibit bilateral symmetry and are invertebrate organisms. They are coelomate and
triploblastic. The body is segmented which is the most distinguishing feature of annelids.

Characteristics of Phylum Annelida

• They have a long and segmented body.
• Annelids are bilaterally symmetrical.
• They are triploblastic.
• Also, they exhibit organ system grade of organization, showing organ differentiation.
• The body is covered with a thin cuticle.
• They are coelomates. A body cavity or coelom is present.
• Annelids live in moist environments, moist soil, freshwater and marine water.
• They have parapodia and chitinous setae, used for locomotion.
• Their body appears red due to the presence of haemoglobin.
• Excretory and nervous systems are present.
• The digestive system is complete and developed.
• Respiration happens through the general body surface.
• These invertebrates have a true closed circulatory system.
• Sexes may be separate or united, wherein they are called hermaphrodites.
• Fertilization can be internal or external.

Examples of Annelids
• Earthworm
• Leeches
• Lugworms
• Polychaetes
How are earthworms helpful to farmers?
To a farmer, earthworms are the most helpful and friendly creatures. They are burrowing creatures
and play an important role in improving the soil texture and enriching the soil. Earthworms plough the
soil by eating their way through the soil. They digest the soil along with the dead leaves and any other
organic material. By doing this, they constantly loosen the upper layer of soil. This results in good
water percolation and air penetration. The droppings of the earthworm also enrich the soil, making it
good for plants to grow.
Where do annelids live?
Annelids can live in marine or freshwater habitats or even in moist terrestrial environments.
Where can you find leeches?
Freshwater leeches can be found in freshwaters. Marine leeches can be found in oceans. Leeches
crawl well and are good swimmers.
On a rainy day, you notice a long, brown, bilaterally symmetric organism in your garden. This
organism has a body that is divided into segments, from the head to the tail. Under which
phylum will you classify the organism, looking at its features? What do you think is the
organism?
Since the organism is long, brown and bilaterally symmetrical, with a segmented body, it can be
classified under phylum Annelida. The distinguishing characteristic is the segmented body. And
Annelids also live in moist terrestrial areas.  This annelid is an earthworm, which can be found in
moist soils.
Phylum Echinodermata
• Echinoderms are animals that you must be knowing. If you know a starfish, then you are well
aware of what an echinoderm is. Echinoderms are animals that are invertebrates. The name
actually means spiny skin! All the animals in this phylum exhibit spiny skin and hence are
grouped together. Let us find out more about them.
• Echinodermata may look morphologically (structure and form) dissimilar at a glance, but they all
share the same characteristic features. These animals have some really unique shapes and
have beautiful colors. They are important ecologically and geologically, as they provide valuable
clues about the geological environment.
• Did you know that they can regenerate limbs? When a starfish, with five arms, loses one arm, it
has the capacity to regenerate the lost arm. This regeneration can take any time between
several months to years, as the wound has to heal and then only are the new cells regenerated.
• Echinoderms are marine animals and can be found in the depths of the ocean as well as in the
intertidal zone. An interesting feature of this phylum is that all animals belonging to
Echinodermata are marine.
• There are no freshwater or terrestrial organisms in this phylum. Water vascular system present
in the echinoderms is a unique circulatory system.
• This accounts for the gaseous exchange, circulation of nutrients, waste elimination as well
as locomotion.
• This system has a central ring canal and radial canals that extend along each arm.
• Through these structures, water circulates. The madreporite is a structure present on top of the
body. This is responsible for regulation of the water in the water vascular system.

Characteristic Features of Phylum Echinodermata

• These are exclusively marine animals.
• The larval forms show bilateral symmetry and adult forms show radial symmetry.
• They are triploblastic.
• It exhibits organ system grade of organisation.
• They have a true coelom.
• The body is uniquely shaped. It can be star -like, elongated or spherical.
• The body is unsegmented without a head.
• The body surface is covered with calcareous spicules.
• Body cavity has the distinguishing water vascular system.
• Tube feet help in locomotion.
• The brain is absent but a nervous system is present with a nerve ring and radial nerve cords.
• Respiration occurs through tube feet and gills.
• Sense organs are poorly developed and include tactile organs, chemoreceptors, terminal
tentacles etc.
• Sexes are separate.
• Fertilization is external.
• Lost parts can be regenerated.

Classification of Phylum Echinodermata

Phylum Echinodermata is classified into the following classes:
• Asteroidea
• Ophiuroidea
• Echinoidea
• Holothuroidea
 • Crinoidea

Example
• Asterias (Starfish)
• Echinus (Sea urchin)
• Antedon (Sea lily)
• Cucumaria (Sea cucumber)
• Ophiura (Brittle star)

Water vascular system is a peculiar feature of which phylum?

Phylum Echinodermata.
Give an example of an Echinoderm that is found in freshwater habitat.
Echinoderms are exclusively marine animals. There is no freshwater echinoderm.
The organs of locomotion in Echinodermata are called?
Tube feet
Aristotle’s Lantern is a characteristic feature of which echinoderm?
Sea Urchin