WATER VASCULAR SYSTEM OF

ASTEROIDEA
Introduction
• The water vascular system unique to echainoderms is a system of
tubes filled with watery fluid that courses along the inner surface of
the ambular from the mouth region to their anus. It is such an
important morphological characteristic of echainoderms that they
can be defined simoly considering this system.

DEFINITION

• It is internal system of coelomic canals and surface appendages, termed

as water vascular systemor ambulacral system found in echainoderms.
Since the entire system is derived from coelom, the canals are lined with
a cilliated epithellium and filled with a watery fluid primitively, the W.V.S
probably functioned in collecting and transporting food, but in most
echainoderms it has assumed a locomotory function.
 GENERAL PLAN

Madreporite
• The internal canals of W.V.S connect to
outside through button shaped structure on a
lateral surface called madreporite or sieve
plate. It is inter-radial in position. It filters the
water of W.V.S .

Stone canal
• In W.V.S of echainoderms running down the
madreporite to the border of the of the mouth is
a s-shaped canal- the stone canal. It’s wall is
supported are by aseries of calcareous rings. The
canal is encircled by the wall of another wider
canal the axial sinus which forms a part of
perihaemal system.
Ring canal
• Stone canal opens into a circular ring or water ring
which runs around the osphradium. It is wide
pentagonal.

Tiedimann’s body
• On the inner wall of ring canal, nine tulfs of
small, rounded, yelllowish, grandular bodies
called raumous or tiedimann’s bodies are
present. There are two such bodies in each
radius, except that containing stone canal
where only one is present. The actual
function of it, is still unknown. However,
they are supposed to be lymphatic glands to
manufacture the amoelocytes of W.V.S .
Polian vesicle
• Pear shaped sacs hanging from the ring
canal into coelom with a short neck. These
are absent in Asterius rubens, though
present in some other groups. It’s function
is to store water, which is to be utilized
when sea star comes out from water.
Radial canal

• From the outer margin of ring canal are

given out five radial canals. One entering
each arm and runs to the tip of the arm.
Lateral canal
•In each arm, the radial canal gives off two rows of
numerous short, narrow side branches called lateral canal
or podial canal which open into tube feet through an
ampulla.

Tube-feet
• These are closed cylinders with muscular
wall having a sucker at the anterior free
end and a tube like ampulla at it’s inner
end within the body cavity.
Course of water
circulation
Madreporite

Pore canal

Stone canal

Ring canal

Radial canal

Lateral canal

Ampulla
 FUNCTION OF
W.V.S
Locomotion
• The inner wall of water vascular canal are provided with cillia.
• The beating of the cillia causes the seawater to enter through the madreporite.
• Finally, the seawater reaches the tube feet and their ampulla.
• The ampullae contract; the valves at the junction of the lateral canal and tube feet prevent the flow of water into
radial canal.

Food capture and attachment

• The tube feet are used to capture the

prey.
• The suckers are used to open the
shells of molluscs.
• The starfish can be attached to the
CONCLUSION
• The water vascular system is the most characteristic morphological
feature of echainoderms and the existence of hydropore even in the
larva indicates that this system was practically present from start.
Tube feet of animals in the ordovician period lacked suckers and relied
upon mucous secretion for attachment or entrapping the food.
• The water vascular system have evolved in two lines. One isthe
Holothruroid, Ecainoid, Crinoid. It serves as a locomotory organ in
Asteroid and serves sensory function in Ophuroids. Thus the water
vascular system has become diversed to meet a wide range of
requirements.