Download Reading Guide Ch. 18 – Animal Phylums Note – I`m giving you the

Reading Guide Ch. 18 – Animal Phylums
Note – I’m giving you the Phylum name for some of these and the common name for others. Make
SURE you know all of these different phylums
Sponges
1. What is the phylum name for sponges?
2. What are suspension feeders?
3. What does the term sessile mean?
4. Why are sponges considered to be the simplest phylum in the animal kingdom?
Phylum Cnidarian
1. Provide examples of organisms in this phylum. (We will observe hydra’s under microscopes later
in the year.)
2. What type of symmetry do they have and how many tissue layers?
3. How do organisms in this phylum acquire food?
4. What is a gastrovascular cavity, and how does it work?
5. What is a cnidocyte (the structure from which the phylum gets its name)?
6. How do corals form?
**Organisms in the phylum Cnidaria do not have a brain, but rather have a dense collection of nerves
called a nerve net
Flatworms
1.
2.
3.
4.
What is the phylum name for flatworms?
What range of size are flatworms found in?
What type of digestive system do they have?
What is a planarian? (We will observe this species later on in the year under microscopes.)
5. What is a fluke?
6. What is a tapeworm?
a. How can dogs become infected with tapeworms?
b. How can humans become infected with tapeworms?
Phylum Nematode
1. What is the common name for nematodes?
2. What is the purpose of a nematode’s cuticle?
3. What is different about the nematodes’ digestive system from the digestive system of the other
phylums discussed thus far?
4. Heartworms, commonly found in dogs, are a species in this phylum. How are they transmitted?
Phylum Mollusca
1. Provide examples of organisms in this phylum.
2. Most organisms in this phylum are soft bodied. What do most possess for protection?
3. What are the 3 main body parts of molluscs?
4. What is the function of the radula?
5. How do molluscs distribute nutrients and oxygen through their body (a system that is not found
in flatworms or nematodes)?
6. Give a brief description for each of the 3 main classes of molluscs and tell what organisms make
up each class.
a. Gastropod –
b. Bivalves –
c. Cephalopods –
*This phylum has the most MARINE organisms
Phylum Annelida
1. What is segmentation and why is it beneficial?
2. What is the most common organism in the Phylum Annelida?
3. What are the 3 main groups of annelids?
4. Explain the difference in how an open vs. closed circulatory system functions (and give examples
of which phylums have each type).
5. How is an earthworm’s heart unique?
6. How do earthworms move (include the function of the bristles in your description).
7. Are earthworms male or female?
8. How do earthworms gain nutrients?
9. How are earthworms beneficial to humans?
10. Explain the process by which blood sucking leeches feed.
Phylum Arthropoda
1. Provide examples of organisms in this phylum.
2. Why is this considered the most successful animal phylum?
3. What are 3 traits that lead to the great success of this phylum?
4. What is an exoskeleton?
5. What is molting?
6. What are the 3 body sections all arthopods are divided into?
7. What type of circulatory system do arthropods have?
8. Arthropods are divided into 4 major lineages. List these 4 lineages and provide the major
organisms that make up each of these lineages.
9. What are the differences and centipedes and millipedes?
Insects are the most diverse class of animals in the world (comprising over 70% of all animal species).
They are in the arthropoda phylum, and we will focus on them here.
10. Distinguish between complete and incomplete metamorphosis.
11. During complete metamorphosis, what is each stage (larvae and adult) specialized for?
12. Why do genetic mutations generally only affect one body section of an insect (an example being
how the grasshopper evolved hind legs specialized for jumping without affecting the other
legs)?
13. What kinds of eating are insect mouthparts specialized for?
14. How many pairs of legs do most insects have (which is different than the characteristic 8 legs of
arachnids)?
15. Insects are the only arthopods that can _____________?
16. How are insect wings different than those of birds and bats?
*Note: This phylum by far has the most species / organisms (most because the class Insecta is in this
phylum)
** Note: To distinguish between insects and arachnids, consider a) number of legs, b) presence of
antennae, and c) presence of wings
Phylum Echinodermata
1. Provide examples of organisms that make up this phylum.
2. What type of symmetry do they portray as larvae and as adults?
3. What is an endoskeleton?
4. Describe the water vascular system.
5. How does a sea star feed?
Phylum Chordata
1. What physical characteristic do almost all organisms in this phylum separates them from all of
the phylums discussed thus far? (In other words, why are the organisms in this phylum called
vertebrates while all other phylums are invertebrates?)
2. What are the 4 features that are distinctive features used to identify members of the phylum
Chordata?