Question

Name the major phyla of the kingdom Animalia giving two features and examples of each phylum.

Answer 1

Kingdom Animalia:

1. Kingdom Animalia includes organisms that are eukaryotic, multicellular organisms.
2. They have an ingestive mode of nutrition.
3. The body is complex and has locomotory organs present to move from one place to another.

There are 10 major phyla of the kingdom Animalia:

Phylum Porifera:

1. They are exclusively aquatic habitats. and mostly marine.
2. They are sedentary and lack locomotory organs. the body bears a number of spores called ostia.
3. For example Spongilla, Sycon.

Phylum Coelenterata:

1. They are sac-like animals, sedentary or maybe free living.
2. They are mostly marine but some species are freshwater.
3. The body has a cavity called coelenterates.
4. For example: Hydra, Aurelia.

Phylum Ctenophora:

1. They are again exclusively marine in nature.
2. Only sexual reproduction is present. Fertilization is external.
3. For example:- Ctenoplana, Coeloplana.

Phylum Platyhelminthes:

1. They are flattened dorsoventrally leaf-like bodies.
2. They are acoelomates i.e. without any body cavity.
3. For eg:- Planaria, Tapeworm, etc.

Phylum Nematodes:

1. Nematodes are present in all types of habitats.
2. Alimentary canal is complete i.e. opens at the end as a mouth and the other end as an anus.
3. For example Ascaris, Wuchereria, etc.

Phylum Annelida:

1. They are mostly freshwater, terrestrial, or parasitic in nature.
2. Body is divided into small segments called annuli and internally called septa.
3. For example earthworm, leech, etc.

Phylum Arthropods:

1. They are bilaterally symmetrical in which the external body is segmented and covered by an exoskeleton.
2. They adapted their mouth according to various modes of feeding.
3. For example spiders, prawns, etc.

Phylum Mollusca:

1. Molluscs have soft skin covered by the mantle.
2. The body of the molluscs is divided into the head, visceral mass, and foot.
3. For example sepia, snail, octopus, etc.

Phylum Echinodermata:

1. They are exclusively marine and the spines are present on the body of organisms.
2. Body is either cylindrical shaped or star-shaped.
3. For example starfish and sea urchins.

Phylum Chordata:

1. Presence of dorsal hollow nervous system.
2. Presence of two limbs
3. Presence of tail in chordates.
4. For example fishes, frogs, etc.