CNIDARIANS/COELENTERATES

and SPONGES
 Cnidarians and Coelenterates- Phylum Cnidaria/
Phylum Coelenterata

- brain corals

- jellyfishes

- hydra
 CHARACTERISTICS:

• They possess stinging cells called cnidocytes in their

tentacles

• They are hollow, tube-like bodies with a mouth at

one end, they are also called coelenterates- hollow
sac
 CORALS- CORAL REEFS

• Skeletal remains

• Serve as fishing grounds

• Restaurant of the sea

Brain Corals
 found in shallow warm-water (coral reefs in all the
world's oceans).

 are part of the phylum Cnidaria, in a class

called Anthozoa or "flower animals.“

 life span of the largest brain corals is 900 years.

 colonies can grow as large as 6 or more feet (1.8 m)

high.
 extend their tentacles to catch food at night.

 during the day, the brain corals use their tentacles for
protection by wrapping them over the grooves on their
surface. The surface is hard and offers good protection
against fish or hurricanes

 Like other genera of corals, brain corals feed on small

drifting animals and also receive nutrients provided by
the algae which live within their tissues.
 Jellyfishes
 Sea Anemone
 Hydra
SPONGES- PHYLUM PORIFERA
 CHARACTERISTICS

 Are organisms full of holes and spores

 Spend their entire under the sea attached to some

solid object or surface

 They eat by allowing the water to flow through their

bodies and trapping the small organisms in the water
with specialized cells.
 sea sponges- shows anti-cancer properties

 scientists have found that these sponges are able to

fight bone cancer cells

chondropsin- the chemical used to target the

cancer