Kingdom Animalia – Part 2

Common Animal Phylum

• Remember our organization of species???KingdomPhylumClass We are here!!OrderFamilyGenusSpecies

Animal Phylums• There are around 30 to 40 different animal phylums

(depending on the source you use), but we are only going to talk about 9 major groups:

1) Phylum Porifera “The Sponges”2) Phylum Cnidaria “Jellyfish/Coral”3) Phylum Platyhelminthes “The Flatworms”4) Phylum Nematoda “The Roundworms”5) Phylum Annelida “The Segmented Worms”6) Phylum Mollusca “Think Seafood - Clams, Oysters”7) Phylum Arthropoda “Insects”8) Phylum Echinodermata “Starfish”9) Phylum Chordata - What we consider “animals”

Phylum Porifera – “The Sponges”

Facts About Phylum Porifera• Examples: Sponges• Irregular body shape (no symmetry)• Lack body tissues• Sessile (don’t move) and found at the bottom of oceans/lakes• Most primitive animals• These species are hermaphroditic (have both male and female sex

cells). Reproduce sexually by releasing these cells (only release one type at a time so they don’t fertilize eachother…think avoiding inbreeding!!)

• Also reproduce asexually by budding (broken off pieces can grow into new species)

• Lack nervous system, circulatory system, muscle tissue, etc .

Phylum Cnidaria – “Jellyfish, Coral”

Facts about Phylum Cnidaria

• Examples: Hydra, jellyfish, sea anemone, coral• Live in marine environment and some freshwater (hydra)• 2 forms: free swimming and sessile• Have true tissues• Posses radial symmetry• 2 germ layers: endoderm and ectoderm• Reproduce sexually (male and female) and some

asexually (by budding)• Have nerve, muscle, and digestive tissues

Interesting Info on Cnidarians• Did you know…

Cnidarians capture food by shooting out specialized cells on their tentacles. These stinging cells can penetrate the skin of their prey or predators and inject toxic material. This material can then paralyze the target.

The sting of a jellyfish has claimed 2x the number of lives in Australia as compared to shark attacks!

Phylum Platyhelminthes – “Flatworms”

Facts about Phylum Platyhelminthes

• Examples: Tapeworm, planarian, fluke• Live in aquatic and terrestrial habitats; many are parasites• Show bilateral symmetry, have 3 germ layers (endoderm,

ectoderm and mesoderm) and lack a coelom (acoelomate)• Reproduction: Hermaphrodites, reproduce sexually with

one another, can regeneration from small pieces (asexual)• Have true organs (simple ones for digestion and excretion)• Primitive brain with two nerve cords

Interesting Info on Platyhelminthes

• Many of these species are parasites of humans.

• One specific example is the tapeworm

• Inside your body, a tapeworm can grow up to 7 meters long!!

The Tapeworm Diet• The “Tapeworm Diet”???

• Yep, apparently some diet extremist decided that eating tapeworm pills and infecting themselves with tapeworms would solve their weight woes….This is because the tapeworm will consume most of your food leaving you malnourished.

• Luckily…this dangerous diet trend is banned in most countries….gross!!

• It is also dangerous and leaves you with the disgusting task of getting rid of the tapeworm once you’ve reached your weight goal

Phylum Nematoda – “Roundworms”

Facts about Phylum Nematoda

• Examples: Ascaris, Hookworm• Live in aquatic and terrestrial habitats; some are

parasites• Free-living, small, and relatively harmless• Bilateral symmetry, 3 germ layers,

pseudocoelomates (“false” coelom)• Reproduce sexually (separate sexes)• Digestive organs are present• Have a primitive brain and 2 nerve cords

Interesting Info on Phylum Nematoda

• A small number of this group are human parasites

• One example is Trichinosis. This is a disease causes by a roundworm parasite. The parasite can be found living in undercooked pork and transmitted to humans when we ingest it.

• Symptoms include abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea and later muscle aches, itching, fever, chills, and joint pain.

• Roundworms are also common parasites of our pets (cats/dogs)

Phylum Annelida – “Segmented Worms”

Facts about Phylum Annelida

• Examples: Earthworm, leeches• Live in aquatic and terrestrial habitats; a few are parasites• Show bilateral symmetry, 3 germ layers, and have a true

coelom• This group of worms is “segmented” meaning it has

repeating units. This is an advantage because it permits greater specialization (head, thorax, abdomen)

• Reproduce sexually even though they are hermaphrodites• Have a simple circulation system and digestive organs• Nervous system includes an advanced brain, large nerve

cord, and smaller nerve-like cells called ganglia

Phylum Mollusca – “Seafood”

Facts about Phylum Mollusca

• Examples: Clam, oyster, octopus• Live in aquatic and terrestrial habitats• Have bilateral symmetry, 3 germ layers, and a true

coelom• Reproduce sexually. Some are hermaphroditic and

some have separate sexes (just male or female parts)• Have an open circulatory system• Filter-feeders• Primitive brain and light receptors

Phylum Arthropoda – “Insects”

Facts about Phylum Arthropoda

• Examples: Crayfish, spider, mosquito• Found everywhere• Bilateral symmetry, 3 germ layers, have a coelom

and undergo metamorphosis (change body form at different life stages i.e. caterpillar to butterfly)

• Reproduce sexually…are either male/female• Open circulatory system• One-way digestive tube (with mouth and anus)• Have definite brain with 2 nerve cords

Importance of Arthropoda• One of the most successful groups of

species• Insects are found everywhere…• There are over 750, 000 different

species• Insects are needed to pollinate plants

and grain crops• Also carry diseases (malaria and

sleeping sickness)• Compete with humans for food…

Billions of dollars every year are spent on insecticides to kill insects.

Phylum Echinodermata – “Starfish”

Facts about Phylum Echinodermata

• Examples: Starfish, sea urchin, sand dollar• Found in aquatic habitats• Radial symmetry/3 germ layers/have a coelom• Reproduce sexually….separate male and female. Also

able to regenerate (asexual reproduction). For example, a broken off piece of starfish can grow into a new starfish

• Open circulatory systems• 1 way digestive tube (separate mouth and anus)• Have nerve cords

Phylum Chordata – “Animals”

Facts about Phylum Chordata• Members of this phylum are known as the “vertebrates.” A

vertebrate is an organism that has a backbone.• Only 5% of all known species belong in this group• Members of this group, at some point in their lives, all have a

backbone, nerve cord, and gills• Examples: Whale, Humans, Dogs, Fish, Frog• What type of symmetry do they possess?• 3 germ layers and a true coelom• Reproduce sexually….separate males and females• Complex heart and closed circulatory system• Large brain, protected by a skull, and advanced nervous system

Class Mammalia

• There are many classes that belong to the phylum Chordata, but the most common to us is the Class Mamalia.

• All members of this group are warm-blooded, air breathing, 4-legged vertebrates that are covered with hair and sweat glands.