Colenterata Flashcards
What is the Phylum that includes organisms like Sycon and Spongilla?
Coelenterata (Cnidaria)
Coelenterata includes various aquatic, mostly marine organisms.
What type of symmetry do Cnidarians exhibit?
Radial symmetry
This symmetry allows for equal body parts to be arranged around a central axis.
What are the two basic body forms of Cnidarians?
- Polyp
- Medusa
The polyp form is sessile and cylindrical, while the medusa form is umbrella-shaped and free-swimming.
What are cnidoblasts or cnidocytes used for in Cnidarians?
Anchorage, defense, and capture of prey
Cnidoblasts contain stinging capsules called nematocysts.
How is digestion carried out in Cnidarians?
Extracellular and intracellular digestion
This involves both breaking down food outside of cells and within cells.
What is the structure of the digestive cavity in Cnidarians?
Gastro-vascular cavity with a single opening
The opening serves as both mouth and anus.
What type of organization do Cnidarians exhibit?
Tissue level of organization
This indicates a higher complexity than organisms with cellular organization.
What skeleton composition do some Cnidarians, such as corals, have?
Calcium carbonate
This provides structural support for the organisms.
What is the process called where Cnidarians exhibit both polyp and medusa forms?
Metagenesis
In this process, polyps produce medusae asexually and medusae form polyps sexually.
Fill in the blank: Cnidarians are _______ meaning they have two germ layers.
Diploblastic
This refers to having an outer ectoderm and inner endoderm.
True or False: All Cnidarians are free-swimming.
False
Many Cnidarians, like polyps, are sessile.
Name an example of a Cnidarian that exhibits the medusa form.
Aurelia (jellyfish)
Aurelia is commonly known as a jellyfish and exemplifies the medusa form.
What are the stinging capsules in Cnidarians called?
Nematocysts
These are specialized structures within cnidoblasts used for capturing prey.
What is the function of the hypostome in Cnidarians?
Mouth opening
The hypostome is where food enters the gastro-vascular cavity.
Name two examples of Cnidarians.
- Physalia (Portuguese man-of-war)
- Adamsia (Sea anemone)
These examples illustrate the diversity within the Cnidaria phylum.
True or False: Cnidarians can only reproduce sexually.
False
Cnidarians can reproduce both asexually and sexually.
What is the Phylum that includes organisms like Sycon and Spongilla?
Coelenterata (Cnidaria)
Coelenterata includes various aquatic, mostly marine organisms.
What type of symmetry do Cnidarians exhibit?
Radial symmetry
This symmetry allows for equal body parts to be arranged around a central axis.
What are the two basic body forms of Cnidarians?
- Polyp
- Medusa
The polyp form is sessile and cylindrical, while the medusa form is umbrella-shaped and free-swimming.
What are cnidoblasts or cnidocytes used for in Cnidarians?
Anchorage, defense, and capture of prey
Cnidoblasts contain stinging capsules called nematocysts.
How is digestion carried out in Cnidarians?
Extracellular and intracellular digestion
This involves both breaking down food outside of cells and within cells.
What is the structure of the digestive cavity in Cnidarians?
Gastro-vascular cavity with a single opening
The opening serves as both mouth and anus.
What type of organization do Cnidarians exhibit?
Tissue level of organization
This indicates a higher complexity than organisms with cellular organization.
What skeleton composition do some Cnidarians, such as corals, have?
Calcium carbonate
This provides structural support for the organisms.
