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Minor Phyla 1

KINGDOM ANIMALIA
Phylum Porifera sponges; benthic; collar cells; motile larvae
Class Demospongia common sponges; some spicules
Class Calcarea calcite spicules
Class Hexactinellida silica spicules; deep sea
Phylum Cnidaria- coelenterates; radial; tentacles; nematocysts
Class Hydrozoa hydroids; polypoid & medusoid forms
Class Scyphozoa jellyfish; medusoid forms
Class Anthozoa corals & anemones; polypoid; benthic
Phylum Ctenophora comb jellies; rows of cilia
Phylum Platyhelminthes flatworms; free living & parasitic
Class Turbellaria free living; benthic; digestive tract
Phylum Nemertea ribbon worms; small; benthic
Phylum Gastrotricha microscopic; elongated; benthic
Phylum Kinorhyncha - <1 mm; elongated; benthic
Phylum Priapulida penis worms; mostly benthic
Phylum Nematoda roundworms; few mm long; mostly benthic
Phylum Entoprocta nearly microscopic; colonial; encrusting
Phylum Ectoprocta bryozoa; resembles Entoprocta
Phylum Phoronida horseshoe worms; tube dwelling; benthic
Phylum Brachiopoda lamp shells; benthic; many fossils
Phylum Mollusca mollusks; unsegmented; mantle; ~shells

Ectoderm

Mesoderm

Endoderm

Bilateral Symmetry

Phylum Nemertea
Ribbon Worms
Characteristics:
~900 species, mostly marine
Length up to 30 m
All soft bodied; few fossils
Proboscis with stylet (barb weapon)
Complete gut & circulatory system (unlike similar
looking flatworms)

Nemertea

Related Phyla

Phylum Gastrotricha
Gastrotrichs (hairy stomach)
Characteristics:
Less than 1 mm
Mostly marine, some freshwater
Worm-like, unsegmented
Body with bristles & cilia
Similar to rotifers & nematodes

Gastrotricha

Phylum Kinorhyncha
Kinorhynchs (snout motion)
Characteristics:
~150 marine species
Live in sand & mud
Worm-like, unsegmented
Bristles on body, no cilia
Similar to rotifers & gastrotrichs

Kinorhyncha

Kinorhynch (in sand meiofauna)

Kinorhynch everting its proboscis

Phylum Priapulida
Priapulids (penis worm)
Characteristics:
Few species, marine mud dwellers; voracious
A few mm to 30 cm
Worm shape, unsegmented
No circulatory system
Similar to nematodes, rotifers & gastrotrichs

Priapulida

Model of prehistoric
(Cambrian) priapulid

Priapulid fossil, Utah

Priapulid fossil, China

Phylum Nematoda (=Aschelminthes)


Round or Thread Worms
Characteristics:
Mostly microscopic
Some 20,000 species known; maybe most
diverse group after arthropods
Nearly ubiquitous; free-living & parasitic (hook &
tape worms, pin worms, etc.)
Cuticle covering & non-cellular epidermis
Only longitudinal muscles
Survives in resistant state (cryptobiotic)

Nematoda

Nematodzilla!

The Lophoporates
Phoronida Horse shoe worms
Entroprocta & Ectoprocta (Bryozoa)
Moss animals
Brachyopoda Lamp shells

Lophophore: a ring
or semi-circle of
hollow tentacles
covered with cilia;
an extension of the
coelom.

Lophophore

Phyla Entoprocta & Ectoprocta


Bryozoa or Moss Animals
Classes:
Characteristics:
~ 5,000 species, mostly marine
Encrusting & branching forms as colonies.
Some resemble hydroids, corals, seaweeds
Many fossil forms

Entoprocta &Ectoprocta

Phylum Phoronida
Horseshoe Worms
Classes:
Characteristics:
Few species; in shallow marine sediments
Worm-like with lophophore
Some form U-shaped tube

Phoronida

Phylum Brachiopoda
Lamp Shells
Characteristics:
~ 300 species, all marine
Mostly in cold &/or deep waters
Resemble clams, but not related to molluscs
Dominant in Paleozoic Period (543-248 MYA);
then decimated in mass extinction of species

Brachiopoda

Terabratulid Brachiopod

Resembles oil lamp

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