Characteristics of Animalia
Animals are the most complex organisms on Earth. Animals are multi-celled organisms, eat food for survival, and have nervous systems.They are heterotrophic, they reproduce sexually and asexually, their cells do not have cell walls, they are capable of motion, they respond quickly to external stimuli.
Phylum Porifera
Sponges are multicellular organisms which have bodies full of pores and hollow channels which allow water to pass through them, consisting of jelly-like mesohyl sandwiched between two thin layers of cells. Sponges have unspecialized cells. Therefore, Sponges do not have any organ systems. Instead, most rely on maintaining a constant water flow through their bodies to obtain food and oxygen and to remove wastes. They reproduce asexually through budding and producing gemmules. The reproduce sexually by releasing sperm into the current hoping that is will be caught by the next sponge over who has egg awaiting them. All sponges live underwater whether it be fresh or salt water. They get there nutrition by filtering the water extracting nutrients they need..
PIcture 1 :Guancha lacunosa, calcareous sponge
Picture 2: Aplysina Fistularis, yellow tube sponge
PIcture 1 :Guancha lacunosa, calcareous sponge
Picture 2: Aplysina Fistularis, yellow tube sponge
Phylum Cnidaria
They are found exclusively in aquatic and mostly marine environments. Their distinguishing feature is cnidocytes, specialized cells that they use mainly for capturing prey. They tend to have radical symmetry made of a hydrostastic skeleton. They are made up of mesoglea, which is a non-living jelly like substance that surrounds it. They catche food by stinging, injecting vemon into there prey, paralyzes it from their specialzed stingy cells. They reproduce sexually and asexually. In sexual reproduction, the cnidarias excrete sperm and egg which then meet up and get fertilized in the water. The egg goes to the bottom and grows. They reproduce asexually when hydrozoans bud off.
PIcture 1: Chironex fleckeri, box jellyfish
Picture 2 Umbrella jellyfish
PIcture 1: Chironex fleckeri, box jellyfish
Picture 2 Umbrella jellyfish
Phylum Platyhelminthes
There characteristics include bilateral symmetry, there body has 3 layers of tissues, they have organs and organelles, there body contains no internal cavity, they possesses a blind gut, and they have a nervous system. They live underwater in saltwater and freshwater. They are total parasites and use there mouth and suckers to hook onto their victims. They reproduce asexually through fragmentation and sexually hermaphoroditicly.
Picture 1; Pseudobiceros bedfordi, Persian Bedroom Flatworm
Picture 2: Pseudoceros dimidiatus, Turberllian Flatworm
Picture 1; Pseudobiceros bedfordi, Persian Bedroom Flatworm
Picture 2: Pseudoceros dimidiatus, Turberllian Flatworm
Phylum Annelida
They have a nervous, digestive, and closed circlutary systems Some species have a pair of leg like appendages that are attached to every segment. Annelida are cephalopods. The concentration of nerve cells and sensory structures are in their head. They have a hydrostatic skeleton. They live in the underground, in water and as parasites. Some are decomposers and get their nutrition out of the soil; other are parasites and bind onto there victim using there mouth to grip on. They are hermaphroditic; so they reproduce sexually but they produce both sperm and egg.
Picture 1: Hirudinea, Leech
Picture 2: Lumbricina, Earthworm
Picture 1: Hirudinea, Leech
Picture 2: Lumbricina, Earthworm
Phylum Nematoda
They have a digestive system with a complete mouth and anus. They do not have a circulatory and respiration system. The nervous system comprises a circumventric nerve ring with longitudinal nerves. They have an excretory system. They move by wiggling and contracting there muscles back and forth so it can move forward. They are parasitic, aquatic, and terrestrial. They eat organic matter from the soil, and prey on their unlucky hosts.
Picture 1: Nereis succinea, clam worm
Picture 2: Riftia pachyptila, tube worm
Picture 1: Nereis succinea, clam worm
Picture 2: Riftia pachyptila, tube worm
Phylum Mollusca
They are Bilaterally symmetrical. They have more than two cell layers of skin along with tissues and organs, body with a cavity, possesses a mouth and anus. Clams and other shelled creatures have a muscle called a "foot" which they make themselves mobile with. Other cephalapods use jet propulsion They can live in most environments, but for the most off they are marine. They can feed on a lot of stuff; other animals, plants, protits etc. The reproduce using male and femal internal fertilization.
Picture One: Hapalochlaena, blue ringed octopus
Picture two:
Picture One: Hapalochlaena, blue ringed octopus
Picture two:
Phylum Arthropoda
Arthropodas have body segments, bilateral symmetry, paired segmented appendages, an open circulatory system, respiration by means of gills or tracheae, the sexes are nearly separate.They can live on land, in the air and in the water (fresh and salt). They uses there apendages to hunt and eat prey. Each species is different specifically. They reproduce sexually with male and female fertilization.
Picture one: Bombus, Bumble Bee
Picture 2: Paguroidea, Hermit Crab
Picture one: Bombus, Bumble Bee
Picture 2: Paguroidea, Hermit Crab
Phylum Echinodermata
Echinodernata have 5-rayed symmetry, mostly bilateral, some radical, they have more than two cell layers with organs and organelles, body cavity has a coelom. They have a poorly defined open circulatory system, and no excretory systems. Echinoderms live in a marine habitat. They attack food by using there arm muscles to pry open mollusks, and then they eat the soft mollusks inside through there mouth, located on the bottom of there body. They reproduce sexually through male and female external fertilization.
PIcture 1: Hippasteria spinosa, spiny red sea star
Picture 2: Clypeasteroida, Sand dollar
PIcture 1: Hippasteria spinosa, spiny red sea star
Picture 2: Clypeasteroida, Sand dollar