Animal Phyla Study Cards

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Porifera

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Etymology:- From the Latin porus for pore and Ferre to bear,
hence an animal with with pores.

Characteristics of Porifera:-
1)No definite symmetry.
2)Body multicellular, few tissues, no organs.
3)Cells and tissues surround a water filled space but there is no true body cavity.
4)All are sessile, (live attached to something as an adult).
5)Reproduce sexually or asexually, sexual reproduction can be either gonochoristic or hermaphroditic.
6)Has no nervous system.
7)Has a distinct larval stage which is planktonic.
8)Lives in aquatic environments, mostly marine.
9)All are filter feeders.
10)Often have a skeleton of spicules.

Front 2

Cnideria

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Etymology:- From the Greek knide for nettle.

Characteristics of Cnidaria:-
1)Radially Symmetrical.
2)Body multicellular, few tissues, some organelles.
3)Body contains an internal cavity and a mouth.
4)Two different forms exist, medusa and polyp
5)Reproduction is asexual or sexual.
6)Has a simple net like nervous system.
7)Has a distinct larval stage which is planktonic.
8)Lives in aquatic environments, mostly marine.
9)Mostly carnivorous otherwise filter feeders.
10)May have a minimal skeleton of chiton or calcium carbonate.

Front 3

Platyhelminthes

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Etymology:- From the Greek platy for flat and helminthes for worms,
Hence Flat Worms.

Characteristics of Platyhelminthes:-
1)Bilaterally symmetrical.
2)Body having 3 layers of tissues with organs and organelles.
3)Body contains no internal cavity.
4)Possesses a blind gut (i.e. it has a mouth but no anus)
5)Has Protonephridial excretory organs instead of an anus.
6)Has normally a nervous system of longitudinal fibres rather than a net.
7)Generally dorsoventrally flattened.
8)Reproduction mostly sexual as hermaphrodites.
9)Mostly they feed on animals and other smaller life forms.
10)Some species occur in all major habitats, including many as parasites of other animals.

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Nematoda

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Etymology:- From the Greek Nema for Thread and Eidos for form.

Characteristics of Nematoda:-
1)Bilaterally symmetrical, and vermiform.
2)Body has more than two cell layers, tissues and organs.
3)Body cavity is a pseudocoel, body fluid under high pressure.
4)Body possesses a through gut with a subterminal anus.
5)Body covered in a complex cuticle.
6)Has a nervous system with pharyngeal nerve ring.
7)Has no circulatory system (no blood system)
8)Reproduction normally sexual and gonochoristic.
9)Feed on just about everything.
10)Live just about everywhere, many species are endoparasites.

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Mollusca

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Etymology:- From the Latin Molluscus meaning soft of body.

Characteristics of Mollusca:-
1)Bilaterally symmetrical.
2)Body has more than two cell layers, tissues and organs.
3)Body without cavity.
4)Body possesses a through gut with mouth and anus.
5)Body monomeric and highly variable in form, may possess a dorsal or lateral shells of protein and calcareous spicules.
6)Has a nervous system with a circum-oesophagal ring, ganglia and paired nerve chords.
7)Has an open circulatory system with a heart and an aorta.
8)Has gaseous exchange organs called ctenidial gills.
9)Has a pair of kidneys.
10)Reproduction normally sexual and gonochoristic.
11)Feed a wide range of material.
12)Live in most environments.

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Arthropoda

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Etymology:- From the Greek Arthron a joint and Pous for foot.

Characteristics of the Arthropoda:-
1)Bilaterally symmetrical (in most cases).
2)Body has more than two cell layers, tissues and organs.
3)Body cavity a true coelom.
4)Most possesses a through straight gut with an anus (in most cases).
5)Body possesses 3 to 400+ pairs of jointed legs.
6)Body possesses an external skeleton (in most cases).
7)Body is divided in 2 or 3 sections.
8)Nervous system includes a brain and ganglia.
9)Possesses a respiratory system in the form of tracheae and spiracles (in most cases).
10)Possesses a open or lacunnar circulatory system with a simple heart, one or more arteries, and no veins, (in most cases).
11)Reproduction normally sexual and gonochoristic, but can be parthenogenetic.
12)Feed on everything.
13)Live everywhere.

Front 7

Annelida

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Etymology:- From the Latin Annellus a little ring.

Characteristics of Annelida:-
1)Bilaterally symmetrical and vermiform.
2)Body has more than two cell layers, tissues and organs.
3)Body cavity is a true coelom, often divided by internal septa.
4)Body possesses a through gut with mouth and anus.
5)Body possesses 3 separate sections, a prosomium, a trunk and a pygidium.
6)Has a nervous system with an anterior nerve ring, ganglia and a ventral nerve chord.
7)Has a true closed circulatory system.
8)Has no true respiratory organs.
9)Reproduction normally sexual and gonochoristic or hermaphoditic.
10)Feed a wide range of material.
11)Live in most environments.

Front 8

Echinodermata

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Etymology:- From the Greek Echinos for half and Derma for skin.

Characteristics of Echinodermata:-
1)Possess 5-rayed symmetry, mostly radial, sometimes bilateral.
2)Body has more than two cell layers, tissues and organs.
3)Body cavity a true coelom.
4)Most possesses a through gut with an anus.
5)Body shape highly variable, but with no head.
6)Nervous system includes a circum-oesophageal ring.
7)Has a poorly defined open circulatory system.
8)Possesses a water vascular system, which hydraulically operates the tube feet or feeding tentacles.
9)Without excretory organs.
10)Normally possesses a subepidermal system of calcareous plates
11)Reproduction normally sexual and gonochoristic.
12)Feeds on fine particles in the water, detritus or other animals.
13)All live marine environments.

Front 9

Chordata

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Etymology:- From the Latin chorda a chord.

Characteristics of the invertebrate Chordata:-
1)Bilaterally symmetrical.
2)Body has more than two cell layers, tissues and organs.
3)Body cavity a true coelom.
4)Most possesses a through gut with a non-terminal anus.
5)Body monomeric with no head or jaws.
6)Possess at some stage of their life a hollow dorsal nerve tube.
7)Possess at some stage of their life a dorsal cartilaginous rod called a notochord.
8)Possess at some stage of their life gill slits in the parangeal region.
9)Has a partially open circulatory system.
10)Without excretory organs.
11)Reproduction normally sexual and gonochoristic.
12)Feed on a variety of organic materials.
13)All live marine environments.