Download Animal Phyla

Complete List of Animal Phyla
Porifera (sponges)
..Cellular level of organization (no true tissues)
..Cells totipotent (capable of developing into a complete organism or differentiating into any tissue
in the organism)
..Choanocytes drive water through aquiferous system
..Sessile suspension feeders
..Some possess skeletal elements called spicules
Complete List of Animal Phyla
Cnidaria (jellyfish, sea anemones, corals and hydra
..Possess ectoderm and endoderm (diploblastic)
..Radial symmetry
..Possess Cnidae (commonly called nematocysts or stinging cells)
..Two-way gut
..No head, central nervous system, discrete gas exchange, excretory or circulatory systems
..Possess a nerve net
Ctenophora (comb jellies)
..Diploblastic/li>
..Biradial symmetry
..Possess adhesive structures called colloblasts
..Gastrovascular cavity
..No head, central nervous system, discrete gas exchange, excretory or circulatory systems
..Possess a nerve net more specialized than cnidarians
..Eight rows of ciliary plates (combs/ctenes)
Complete List of Animal Phyla
..Pair of long tentacles, usually retractable
..Typically hermaphroditic
Platyhelminthes (flatworms)
..Unsegmented worms
..Triploblastic, acoelomate
..Bilateral symmetry
..Complex but two-way gut
..Cephalized nervous system
..Possess primitive excretory and osmosregulatory structures
..Typically hermaphroditic
Complete List of Animal Phyla
Nemertea (ribbon worms)
..Unsegmented worms
..Triploblastic, acoelomate or coelomate
..Bilateral symmetry
..Complex one-way digestive tract
..Cephalized nervous system and closed circulatory system
..Possess unique proboscis in the rhnychocoel
..Typically gonochoristic
Gnathostomulida
..Triploblastic, bilateral, vermiform, unsegmented and acoelomate
..Incomplete gut
..Unique jaw structure
..Hermaphroditic
Complete List of Animal Phyla
Rotifera (rotifers)
..Triploblastic, pseudocoelomate
..Bilateral symmetry
..Pharynx modified into mastix with jaw like structures
..Ciliated corona for feeding
..Toes and adhesive glands at posterior
..Typically parthenogenetic (only females, asexually reproduce)
Complete List of Animal Phyla
Gastrotricha (gastrotrichs)
..Triploblastic
..Bilateral symmetry
..Adhesive tubes
..Cuticle forming plates and spines
..Complete gut and protonephridia
..Hermaphroditic or parthenogenetic
Kinorhyncha (kinorhynchs)
..Triploblastic, bilateral, pseudocoelomate
..Body divided into 13 segments called zonites
..Molt
..Complete gut and protonephridia
..Gonochoristic
Complete List of Animal Phyla
Nematoda (round worms)
..Triploblastic, bilateral, vermiform and pseudocoelomate
..Body covered in cuticle which must be molted
..Cephalic sense organs called amphids
..Six lips with sense organs surround mouth
..Unique excretory system but no special circulatory or gas exchange systems
..Gonochoristic
Nematophora (horsehair worms)
..Triploblastic, bilateral, vermiform and pseudocoelomate
..Body very long and thin
..Gut reduced or nonfunctional
..Larvae parasitic in arthropods
..Gonochoristic
Complete List of Animal Phyla
Priapula
..Triploblastic, bilateral, unsegmented and vermiform
..Unique caudal appendage for gas exchange
..Complete gut
..Thin cuticle
..Gonochoristic
Acanthocephala
..Triploblastic, bilateral, vermiform and pseudocoelomate
..Hooked proboscis at anterior end
..Channel system on epidermis called the lacunar system
..Gut absent
Complete List of Animal Phyla
..Unique ligaments partition the body cavity
Entoprocta
..Triploblastic, bilateral and unsegmented
..Sessile, stalked zooids
..Cup-shaped calyx
..Ring of tentacles enclosing mouth and anus
..Gonochoristic
Loricifera
..Triploblastic, bilateral, and pseudocoelomate
..Body divided into head, neck, and thorax, all of which are retractable into the abdomen
..Cuticular lorica
..Mouth housed in oral cone with stylets
Complete List of Animal Phyla
..Gonochoristic
Annelida (segmented worms)
..Schizocoelomate, bilaterally symmetrical
..Segmented
..Complete digestive tract with regional specialization
..Closed circulatory system
..Cerebral ganglion and ventral nerve cord
..Paired, bundled setae on each segment
Echuira
..Schizocoelomate, bilaterally symmetrical
..Unsegmented
..Complete digestive tract
Complete List of Animal Phyla
..Simple closed circulatory system
..Nonretractable preoral proboscis
Sipuncula (peanut worms)
..Schizocoelomate, bilaterally symmetrical
..Unsegmented
..Complete U-shaped gut
..Mouth with tentacles
..Unique retractable anterior body region called introvert
Pogonophora (beard worms)
..Coelomate, bilaterally symmetrical
..Reginally specialized body
..Lack digestive system
..Closed circulatory system
..Dwell in tubes
Complete List of Animal Phyla
..Well developed anterior body cavities
..Three nerve cords
Vestimentifera (vent worms)
..Coelomate, bilaterally symmetrical
..Reginally specialized body
..Lack digestive system in adults
..Closed circulatory system
..Dwell in tubes
..Vestimental wings
..Single nerve cord
Complete List of Animal Phyla
Mollusca (snails, clams, octopuses, tusk shells, chitons, etc.)
..Coelomate, bilaterally symmetrical (secondary asymmetry)
..Principle body cavity a hemocoel
..Mantle covers body (thickened epidermis which secretes the shell, when present)
..Shell made of calcareuos material
..Muscular foot
..Buccal region with radula
..Complete gut
Complete List of Animal Phyla
Arthropoda (insects, crustaceans, spiders, etc.)
..Coelomate, bilaterally symmetrical
..Segmented body
..Hard exoskeleton (formed by cuticle, must be molted)
..Segmented, jointed appendages
..Pair of complex eyes and several simple eyes
..Open circulatory system
..Striated muscles
Complete List of Animal Phyla
Tardigrada (water bears)
..Coelomate, bilaterally symmetrical
..Four pairs of clawed legs
..Ability to reduce metabolic activity during unfavorable conditions and form tuns (cysts) for their
eggs
..Uncalcified cuticle, molting
..Smooth and striated muscle
Complete List of Animal Phyla
Onycophora (velvet worms)
..Coelomate, bilaterally symmetrical
..Weakly hardened cuticle, molting
..Ciliated reproductive tract
..Reduced coelom and hemocoel
..Large brain
Pentastomida (tongue worms)
..Coelomate, bilaterally symmetrical
..Parasitic in lungs of vertebrates
..Leg like lobe appendages with claws
..Nonchitonous cuticle, molting
..Five snouts
Complete List of Animal Phyla
Brachiopoda (lamp shells)
..Trimeric, coelomate
..Two shells enclose body
..Attach to substrate with a stalk called a pedicle
..Water filled mantle cavity
..Coiled lophophore
..U-shaped gut
..Open circulatory system
Ectoprocta/Bryozoa (moss animals)
..Trimeric, coelomate, colonial
..Possess a a circular or U-shaped lophophore
..U-shaped gut
..Sessile colonies with polymorphic zooids (some specialized for feeding, some for reproduction,
etc.)
Complete List of Animal Phyla
Phoronida
..Worm like
..Build tubes out of sand grains
..Possess a lophophore
..U shaped gut
Echinodermata (sea stars, brittle stars, urchins, sand dollars,
sea cucumbers, crinoids, etc.)
..Deuterostomic
..Calcareous exoskeleton made of embedded ossicles
..Pentaradial symmetry
..Water vascular sstem for locomotion
Complete List of Animal Phyla
..Tube feet (podia moved by water vascular system)
..Complete gut (may be secondarily lost)
..No excretory organs
..Nerve net, nerve ring or radial nerves
..Ability to regenerate
Chaetognatha (arrow worms)
..Bilateral deuterostome
..Long, steamlined body with head, trunk and post-anal tail
..Fins supported by rays
..Eyes, grasping spines and teeth on head
..No discrete excretory, circulatory or gas excganbge systems
..Large dorsal and ventral ganglia
Complete List of Animal Phyla
Hemichordata (acorn worms and pterobranchs)
..Solitary, elongate, worm like
..Possess a stalked proboscis, collar and trunk
..Gill pores
..Tripartite regional division of the body
Chordata (tunicates and vertebrates)
..Bilateral deuterostome
..Notochord
..Hollow dorsal nerve tube
..Pharyngeal gills slits
..Post anal tail
Complete List of Animal Phyla
Illustrations and descriptions taken from Brusca, R.C. and G.J. Brusca. 1990. Invertebrates.
Sunderland, MA: Sinauer Associates, Inc.
Information provided by: http://eebweb.arizona.edu