Animalia: Animal Diversity I Key

Summary Table of Animal Characteristics
  1. Sponge:
    • Symmetry: asymmetrical
    • Tissue Organization: none
    • Type of Body Cavity: spongocoel
    • Digestive Openings: osculum
    • Circulatory System: choanocytes
    • Habitat: aquatic
    • Respiratory Organs: none
    • Excretory System: none
    • Locomotion: none
    • Support System: spicules embedded in spongin
    • Segmentation: none
    • Appendages: none
    • Nervous System Organization: none

  2. Hydra:
    • Symmetry: radial
    • Tissue Organization: diploblastic
    • Type of Body Cavity: gastrovascular cavity
    • Digestive Openings: one
    • Circulatory System: none
    • Habitat: aquatic
    • Respiratory Organs: none
    • Excretory System: none
    • Locomotion: not in polyp stage; some Cnidarians swim in medusa stage
    • Support System: none
    • Segmentation: none
    • Appendages: tentacles
    • Nervous System Organization: nerve net

  3. Planarian:
    • Symmetry: bilateral
    • Tissue Organization: triploblastic
    • Type of Body Cavity: acoelomate
    • Digestive Openings: mouth (pharynx extended during feeding)
    • Circulatory System: none
    • Habitat: aquatic
    • Respiratory Organs: none
    • Excretory System: protonephridia, flame bulb
    • Locomotion: crawl
    • Support System: none
    • Segmentation: none
    • Appendages: none
    • Nervous System Organization: brain, ventral nerve cords

  4. Earthworm:
    • Symmetry: bilateral
    • Tissue Organization: triploblastic
    • Type of Body Cavity: coelomate
    • Digestive Openings: mouth and anus
    • Circulatory System: hearts, blood vessels
    • Habitat: moist soil
    • Respiratory Organs: moist skin
    • Excretory System: metanephridia on each segment
    • Locomotion: peristalsis with logitudina; and circular muscles
    • Support System: coelomic fluid acts as hydrostatic skeleton
    • Segmentation: yes
    • Appendages: setae
    • Nervous System Organization: brain, ventral nerve cord

  5. Clam:
    • Symmetry: bilateral
    • Tissue Organization: triploblastic
    • Type of Body Cavity: coelomate: pericardial cavity
    • Digestive Openings: mouth, anus
    • Circulatory System: heart, open c.s.
    • Habitat: aquatic
    • Respiratory Organs: incurrent and excurrent siphon, gills
    • Excretory System: nephridia
    • Locomotion: muscular foot
    • Support System: shells
    • Segmentation: no
    • Appendages: muscular foot
    • Nervous System Organization: three ganglia
Lab notes made Jul 07, 2009 by Peter Chen