Question

Give characteristics of all phylums under Animalia with examples.

Answer 1

Kingdom Animalia consists of animals and is the largest kingdom out of the five kingdoms. The animals belonging to Animalia are all eukaryotes and also multicellular.

Complete answer:
The members are animalia are divided into ten types on the basis of body differentiation,
Porifera
->The organisms belonging to Porifera have the following characteristics,
->They have a porous tubular body and they are non-motile.
->Their body is not differentiated into a head and tail and a well developed organ system is absent.
->They are found in marine habitat.
->The pores help in circulation of substances by creating a canal system.
->Examples: Sycon, Spongilla, etc

Cnidaria
->The organisms belonging to Cnidaria have the following characteristics,
->They have a hollow body cavity and their body is differentiated into head and tail.
->They are mostly marine animals.
->The body is made up of two layers, i.e. they are diploblastic.
->They can either live in solitary or in colonies.
->Example: Corals (colonies), Sea anemone (solitary)

Platyhelminthes
->The organisms belonging to Platyhelminthese have the following characteristics,
->They have a dorsoventrally flattened body and have a much complex and differentiated body structure.
->Presence of tissue and three layers in the body wall is seen.
->They are bilaterally symmetrical.
->True internal cavity is absent.
->They are either found as free living or are parasitic.
->Examples: Liver fluke (parasitic), Planaria (free living)

Nematoda
->The organisms belonging to Nematoda have the following characteristics,
->They have cylindrical, triploblastic and bilaterally symmetrical bodies.
->They have a false body cavity, i.e. pseudocoelom.
->They are generally parasitic and can cause diseases.
->Examples: Ascaris, Wuchereria

Annelida
->The organisms belonging to Annelida have the following characteristics,
->They have cylindrical, segmented bodies.
->Their body is differentiated into head and tail and is bilaterally symmetrical.
->They have a true body cavity, i.e. they are eucoelomate.
->Example: Earthworm, Leeches.

Arthropoda
->The organisms belonging to Arthropods have the following characteristics,
->They are the largest phylum in animalia.
->They have jointed appendages and their body is bilaterally symmetrical.
->They have segmented bodies and exoskeleton.
->Presence of an open circulatory system is seen.
->Example: Butterfly, Spider,etc

Mollusca
->The organisms belonging to Mollusca have the following characteristics,
->They have a bilaterally symmetrical and triploblastic body.
->The body is less segmented and they have a well developed organ system.
->Their circulatory system is open.
->Limbs are seen too.
->Examples: Snails, Octopus, etc

Echinodermata
->The organisms belonging to Echinodermata have the following characteristics,
->They have radially symmetrical, eucoelomate and triploblastic bodies.
->They are free living marine animals.
->They have exoskeleton made of calcium carbonate.
->Examples - Sea urchins, starfish, etc

Hemichordata
->The organisms belonging to Hemichordata have the following characteristics,
->They have a soft fragile body.
->They have an organ system and open circulatory system.
->They respire by gills.
->They have seperate sese, i.e. they are uniseual and external fertilization is seen.
->Examples: Acorn worm, etc.

Chordata
->The organisms belonging to Chordata Have the following characteristics,
->They have a bilaterally symmetrical, well developed organ system, triploblastic body.
->The circulatory system is closed.
->Presence of notochord and nerve cord is seen
->Examples: Mammals, reptiles, fishes, birds, etc

Note: The phylum chordata is further divided into three sub- phyla, they are,

Urochordata - They are also known as tunicates and they have a notochord and nerve cord.
Cephalochordata - They are segmented marine animals which have notochord extending from head to tail and are present throughout life.
Vertebrata - They have a notochord and nerve cord, they have advanced nervous system and paired limbs.