Question

Name the major phyla of animals along with one or two main features and examples.

Answer 1

There are 10 major phyla in the classification of animal kingdom.

1. Porifera: Have pores (ostia) all over the body and canal system for water passage. Eg., sycon
2. Cnidaria: Bears tentacles. Undergo asexual reproduction. Eg., Jelly Fish
3. Platyhelminthes: Have dorsoventrally flat body.Mostly hermaphrodite. Eg., Planaria
4. Nematoda: Small cylindrical or round worms. Pseudocoelom is present. Eg., Ascaris
5. Annelida: Have elongated segmented body and bears lateral appendages for locomotion. Eg., earthworm.
6. Arthropoda: Largest group of animals with jointed feet eg., Honey bee
7. Mollusca: Unsegmented soft body, bilaterally symmetrical eg., Octopus
8. Echinodermata: Spiny skinned animals and are marine and free living.eg., Star fish
9. Prochordata: Bilaterally symmetrical, triploblastic. Eg., Amphioxes
10. Vertebrata:Includes majority of chordates. Respiration through lungs in land vertebrates and by Gills in aquatic animals. Eg.,Mammals, Fish

• Note: Phylum Arthropoda is the largest group of animals.