Assignment:
GOAL:
Describe each phylum of invertebrates so that you are able to understand the general differences among the many phyla. Focus on the major characteristics that cause each phylum of animals to be different from the other phyla. These differences have caused scientists to place animals into such groups in the first place.
ASSIGNMENT:
This is aN assignment that covers the major groups of invertebrates. Your ansewrs must be typed in a Word document and follow the sequence that appears below. Make sure you answer all the questions. You will lose 2 points for each item that is missing. Also, please follow the format below as you type your answers. You do not need to type the question again but number your responses so they match this assignment sheet.
Phylum Porifera:
1. Common name(s) of organisms that fall under this phylum.
2. Briefly describe the general body plan of organisms that are in this phylum (ex. simple or complex, do they have true tissues, type of symmetry, live as colonies or individually etc.)
3. Where do these organisms generally live? (Open ocean, attached to something, freshwater, marine, etc.)
4. Why is this phylum the first one that we will discuss?
5. One fact about this group that you found interesting.
Phylum Cnidaria:
1. Common name(s) of organisms that fall under this phylum.
2. Briefly describe the general body plan of organisms that are in this phylum (ex. simple or complex, do they have true tissues, type of symmetry, live as colonies or individually etc.)
3. State and describe the two basic body forms of cnidarians.
4. State and describe the structures that cnidarians use to capture and handle food.
5. One fact about this group that you found interesting.
Phylum Ctenophora:
1. Common name(s) of organisms that fall under this phylum.
2. Briefly describe the general body plan of organisms that are in this phylum (ex. simple or complex, do they have true tissues, type of symmetry, live as colonies or individually etc.)
3. State and describe the basic body form of ctenophores.
4. State and describe the structures that ctenophores use to capture and handle food.
5. Describe how ctenophores are similar to and different from cnidarians
6. One fact about this group that you found interesting.
Phylum Platyhelminthes:
1. Common name(s) of organisms that fall under this phylum.
2. Briefly describe the general body plan of organisms that are in this phylum (ex. do they have true tissues and organs, type of symmetry, etc.)
3. One fact about this group that you found interesting.
Phylum Annelida:
1. Common name(s) of organisms that fall under this phylum.
2. Briefly describe the general body plan of organisms that are in this phylum (ex. segmentation, etc.)
3. State and describe the class of animals that include the marine annelids in this phylum. State how this specific group is adapted to live in the marine environment.
4. One fact about this group that you found interesting.
Phylum Mollusca:
1. Common name(s) of organisms that fall under this phylum.
2. Briefly describe the general body plan of organisms that are in this phylum (describe basic body parts)
3. State and briefly describe the three major classes of molluscs (state common name(s) of organisms that fall under each class and list general characteristics that animals within each class possess)
4. One fact about this group that you found interesting.
Phylum Arthropoda:
1. Common name(s) of organisms that fall under this phylum.
2. Briefly describe the general body plan of organisms that are in this phylum. Also describe molting.
3. State the subphylum of animals that include the marine arthropods in this phylum. Also, state common name(s) of organisms that fall under this subphylum. State how this specific group is adapted to live in the marine environment.
4. Read about all the small crustaceans. Briefly describe what a barnacle is and how it lives.
5. One fact about this group that you found interesting.
Phylum Echinodermata:
1. Common name(s) of organisms that fall under this phylum.
2. Briefly describe the general body plan of organisms that are in this phylum (ex. type of symmetry, endoskeleton, vascular system etc.)
3. State the common name(s) of animals that fall under Class Asteroidea, Class Ophiuroidea, Class Echinoidea, Class Holothuroidea. Also briefly state the general characteristics differentiating each class.
4. One fact about this group that you found interesting.
Phylum Hemichordata:
1. Common name(s) of organisms that fall under this phylum.
2. Briefly describe the general body plan of organisms that are in this phylum and the evolutionary importance of having these characteristics. Also, describe why hemichordates are called "the missing link."
3. One fact about this group that you found interesting.
Phylum Chordata - made up of 3 major groups, two that lack a backbone
1. State the four characteristics that all chordates have in common.
2. State the two subphyla within this phylum that lack a true backbone.
3. State the common name(s) of animals that fall under each subphyla.
4. Briefly describe the general body plan of organisms that are in each subphyla.
5. Why do tunicates still fall under phylum Chordata when as adults they do not possess all the chordate traits?
6. One fact about this group that you found interesting.