Evolutionary Milestones)

Asymmetry

• Cannot be divided into two equal halves by any plane.

• E.g., Sponges
 Radial Symmetry

• Can be divided into equal halves by any

plane passing through the central axis.
• Adaptation for sessile mode of life
E.g.,
• Coelenterates
• Ctenophores
• Adult echinoderms
 Bilateral Symmetry
• The body can be divided into two identical
halves (antimeres) by a single plane (mid-
sagittal).
E.g.,
• Platyhelminthes to Chordata
A O P
A O P
 Sea Star

Larva Adult
(Bilateral Symmetry) Radial Symmetry
(Pentamerous)
 Gastropods

Larva Adult
(Bilateral Symmetry) (Asymmetry)
 Cephalisation

• Differentiation of head end is observed only in Bilateria

• Concentration of nervous tissue and sense organs on the anterior end
of the body leads to formation of head
• Most efficient to sense and respond to the environmental stimuli
Embryonic development
 Diploblastic Vs Triploblastic

• Ectoderm • Ectoderm,
• Mesoglea • Mesoderm
• Endoderm • Endoderm
• E.g., Coelenterates • E.g., Platyhelminthes to
Chordates
Diploblastic Vs Triploblastic organisms

Germinal layers: (a) Diploblastic (b) Triploblastic

 Fate of Blastopore

Protostomia

Deuterostomia
Coelom
Triploblastic animals

Enterocoelomates
 Acoelomates

• Body cavity is absent

E.g., Platyhelminthes
 Pseudocoelomates
• Body cavity is present, but is not lined by the mesoderm
• Mesoderm is distributed as scattered pouches in body cavity between ectoderm and
endoderm
• E.g., Aschelminthes
 Eucoelomates
• Body cavity that is lined by the mesoderm is coelom or eucoelom
• Mesodermal layer lining ectoderm is parietal peritoneum and that lining
internal organs is visceral peritoneum
• E.g., Annelida to Chordates
 Schizocoelom Vs Enterocoelom

Schizocoelom is formed due to

splitting of the mesodermal
layer

Enterocoelom is formed due to

outpouching of gut wall
 Segmentation

• Body is divided externally and internally

into segments (somites/ metameres) with
serial repetition of at least some organs
• E.g., Earthworm
 Homonomous metamerism

• Primitive type of segmentation

• If the segments or somites of the animal
are all alike, the' segmentation is called
homonomous metamerism
• E.g., Nereis (Clam worm)
 Heteronomous metamerism

• In arthropods and chordates the

segments of the body are dissimilar in
different body regions and restricted
only to certain organs.
• E.g., Head, thorax and abdomen are
group of segments called tagmata in
insects
 Pseudometamerism

• In tapeworms, new segments (proglottids)

are added from the anterior end unlike
earthworm
 Notochord

• Mesodermally derived
• Rod-like structure
• Formed on the dorsal side during
embryonic development
• Based on notochord, animals can be
categorized into
Non chordates
Chordates
 Notochord

• Notochord may or may not be replaced by vertebral column

• Vertebrates
• Invertebrates
• Nuclei pulposi is the remnant of notochord left, after being replaced by the vertebral
column
 Evolutionary Milestones

• Tissue grade of organisation

• Bilateral Symmetry
• Coelom