Presentation in Zoology

Group 2 BS Aquaculture 1B

Phylum Coenlenterata and

Phylum Ctenophora
 Phylum Coelenterata

Coelenterata is an obsolete term encompassing the animal phyla Cnidaria (coral

animals, true jellies, sea anemones, sea pens, and their allies) and Ctenophora (comb jellies).
The name comes from the Greek "koilos" ("hollow") and "enteron" ("intestine"), referring to
the hollow body cavity common to these two phyla.

They have very simple tissue organization, with only two layers of cells (external and
internal), and radial symmetry. Some examples are corals, which are typically colonial, and
hydra, jelly fish and sea anemones which are solitary. Coelenterata lack a specialized
circulatory system relying instead on diffusion across the tissue layers.
 Characteristics

All coelenterates are aquatic, mostly marine. The body form is radially
symmetrical, diploblastic and does not have a coelom. The body has a single opening,
the hypostome, surrounded by sensory tentacles equipped with
either nematocysts or colloblasts to capture mostly planktonicprey. These tentacles are
surrounded by a spacious cavity called the gastrovascular cavity or coelenteron. Digestion is
both intracellular and extracellular.

Respiration and excretion are accomplished by simple diffusion. A network of nerves is

spread throughout the body. Many Cnidaria exhibit polymorphism, wherein different types of
individuals are present in a colony for different functions. These individuals are called Zooids.
These animals generally reproduce asexually by budding, though sexual reproduction does occur
in some groups.
 Phylum Coelenterata
Examples
 Adamsia Structures
Adamsia (Sea Anemone)
Adamsia is a genus of sea anemones in the family Hormathiidae. Species in this genus are
mutually symbiotic with hermit crabs. The anemone gets a place to live and discarded scraps of the
crab's food in exchange for its help in the crab's defence.
As these anemones grow, they secrete a horny membrane, known as a carcinoecium, which
overlies the crab's original snail shell and expands the living space of the crab. This means the
anemone does not have to change substrate and the crab does not have to seek a larger shell as they
both grow.
 Biology
 “Tissue grade” eumetazoans with a radial symmetry.

 The term “Coelenterata” signifies the presence of a single internal cavity called coelenteron, or
gastrovascular cavity, combining functions of both digestive and body cavities.

 The term “Cnidaria” indicates the presence of stinging cells (Gr., knide = nittle or stinging
cells). About 9,000 species known.
 Anatomy
Anatomy of Coelentarata
 Classification
Class1: Hydrozo (Hydra; water; zoon: animal)

 Habitat: mostly marine, few are fresh water

 Habit: some are solitary and some are colonial
 Asexual Polyps is dominant form
 Medusa possess true velum
 Mesogloea is simple and acellular
 Examples: Hydra, Obelia, Physalia physalis (portuguese man of war), Tubularia

Class 2: Scyphozoa or Scyphomedusae

 Habitat: exclusively marine

 Habit: solitary, freely swimming
 Medusa is dominant and it is Large bell or umbrella shaped
 Polyps is short lived or absent
 Mesogloea is usually cellular
 Examples: Aurelia aurita (Jelly fishe), Rhizostoma
Class 3: Anthozoa or Actinozoa
(Anthos: flower; zoios: animal “flower like animals”)

 Habitat: exclusively marine

 Habit: Solitary or colonial

 Medusa stage is absent

 Mesogloea contains fibrous connective tissue and amoeboid cells

 Examples: Metridium (sea anemone), Telesto, Tubipora, Xenia

 Origin
Phylum Cnidaria originated during the Neoproterozoic Era, possibly during the
Cryogenian Period. The oldest known fossil cnidarians occur in strata of Ediacaran age and
consist of polypoid forms that were either nonbiomineralizing or weakly so. The oldest
possible anthozoans, including the genus Ramitubus, may be related to tabulate corals and
occur in the Doushantuo Lagerstätte (upper Doushantuo Formation, South China), the age of
which is poorly constrained (approximately 585 Ma?). Conulariid scyphozoans may first
appear as early as 635–577 Ma (Lantian Formation, South China).
 Phylum Ctenotophora
Any of a phylum (Ctenophora) of marine animals superficially resembling jellyfishes but
having biradial symmetry and swimming by means of eight bands of transverse ciliated plates.

— called also comb jelly

 Characteristics
The general Characteristics of the Phylum Ctenophora are:

 Biradially symmetrical, with an oral - aboral body axis

 Eight rows of ciliated "combs" or ctenes , controlled by an apical sense organ at the aboral pole.

 Incomplete gut (mouth but no anus ).

 No excretory, respiratory, or circulatory systems.

 Diploblastic , with ectoderm and entoderm , and a cellular mesenchyme , which gives, rise to the
musculature (some researchers feel that Ctenophores are triploblastic , with a true mesoderm ).

 Adhesive structures called coloblasts (but no cnidoblasts or stinging cells as in Cnidaria ).

 A diffuse nervous system consists of a nerve net, somewhat more specialized than that found in
the Cnidaria

 A cydippid larval stage, monomorphic life cycle, never with a sessile or benthic stage.
 Structures

The name is a reference to the comb-like ciliary rows. The ctenophores are diploblastic with
a modified radial or biradial symmetry. Their tentacles (see figure A above) have adhesive
structures called colloblasts that do not seem to be homologous to the nematocysts (=cnidae) of
the Cnidaria
 Biology
 Ctenophores or sponges are the sister group to all other animals.

 Biases hide some complex traits in these animals and make them appear simpler than they are.

 These biases supported the misconception that living animals represent grades of complexity.

 It is critical to investigate the unique but hidden biology of ctenophores and sponges.
 Nervous system/movement
 Nerve net
 Provides feedback to apical sense organ
 Helps coordinate beating between adjacent
rows
 Controls muscles
 Body receptive to touch, light, vibration,
temperature, certain chemicals
 Polar fields (ciliated regions) may be sensory
 Muscles
 Escape responses
 Key form of movement in some
 Reproduction
 Simultaneous hermaphrodites; may self-
fertilize
 Gonads within the g.v. canals
 Eggs and sperm spawned via pores
 Adults generally die after spawning
 Polyspermy and female choice
 Egg nucleus chooses the sperm nucleus!
 Ecology
 Solely marine, surface to deep ocean
 Can have a large effect on zooplankton
 Holoplankton
 Larval fish and invertebrates
 An introduced ctenophore to the Black
Sea, Mnemiopsis leidyi, may be
responsible for the crash in anchovy
populations
 Consumes anchovy larvae and copepods
 Potential for recovery due to…?
 Nearly all are bioluminescent
 Diversity: a sampling…
 Order Cydippida: Pleurobrachia spp.
 Diversity: a sampling…
 Order Beroida: Beroe spp.
 Engulf prey with their muscular lips.
 Feed on other ctenophores!
 Diversity: a sampling…
 Order Cestida: Cestum
spp.
 Compressed, ribbon-like
body
 Moves via muscular
undulation & comb rows
 Zooplankton trapped in
mucus on body, propelled
toward mouth via cilia
 Diversity: a sampling…
 Order Lobata: Mnemiopsis spp.
 Oral lobes for movement & food collection.
 Zooplankton trapped in mucus on body, propelled
toward mouth via cilia (as in the Cestida)