BIOLOGY 1-2 : PHYLUM COMPARISON SHEET

FEATURE Porifera Cnidaria Platyhel- Nematoda Annelida Mollusca Arthro- Echino- Chordata
minthes poda dermata

Symmetry Radial Bilateral Bilateral Bilateral Bilateral Bilateral Bilateral Bilateral

No
Symmetry

Tissue layers & No Layers Two Layers three three three three three three
level of three
(cellular (ectoderm tissue layers tissue layers tissue layers tissue tissue layers tissue layers tissue layers
Organization & layers
level)
endoderm
only)

Coelom N/A N/A None Pseudo- Coelomic Coelomic Coelomic Coelomic Coelomic
coelomic

Development N/A N/A Protostome Protostome Protostome Protostom Protostome Deuterosto Deuterostom
(Proto vs. e me e
Deutero)

# of Digestive Gastro- Gastro- One Two Two Two Two Two Two
openings openings openings
openings vascular vascular opening openings openings openings
(complete) (complete) (complete)
cavity cavity (complete) (complete)
(complete)

Simple brain;
Nervous Osculum, Nerve net Simple dorsal & Simple brain; Cerebral Brain; well Nerve rings Dorsal nerve
ventral nerve
System gemmules Nematocyct brain; flame cords ventral nerve ganglia developed with cord with
Organization& es cells; simple cord; sense radiating brain at
Specialized sense nephridia organs nerves anterior end
structures organs; around the
ladder type mouth; no
system brain!

Diffusion
Respiratory diffusion Diffusion Diffusion Diffusion, Gills and Trachea in Skins, gills Gills or
Organs gills mantle insects; gills lungs, skin
(gas exchange) in in some;
crustaceans notocords
book lungs gills, slits, &
in spiders nerve cord
in life cycle
Open
Type of Collar cells Diffusion Diffusion Diffusion Closed Open Open system; Closed
reduced
Circulatory (choanocytes) system system system system;
System (closed in ventral
& specialized cephalopo heart; water-
strucutures ds) vascular
system

Hydrostatic
Support system Spicules Hydrostatic Muscular pseudocoelo Hydrostatic Shells, Exoskeleton Endoskeleto Most have
m
and gut coelem floats of chitin n of calcium an
spongin (aquatic) carbonate endoskeleto
n of
cartiallage
Mostly
Repro-duction & Monoecious Medusa & Mostly dioecious Monoecious/ Monecious Mostly Mostly Mostly
with internal
life cycle asexual polyp monoecious fertilization dioecious; /dioecious; dioecious; dioecious; dioecious;
characteristics stages with internal larvae larvae larvae, larvae, larvae, some
fertilization; metamorpho metamorpho metamorpho
some sis, some sis, high sis
transverse parthenogen regenerative
fission esis potential
Habitat Aquatic, Aquatic, Aquatic, Aquatic, Aquatic or Aquatic, Aquatic, Aquatic, Aquatic,
marine marine moist terr, moist terr, moist terrestrial terrestrial, marine terrestrial
parasitic parasitic terrestrial; (marine) some (land and
parasitic parasitic air)
TWO Examples sponges Jellyfish Tapeworms roundworms Earthworms Squid, Insects Sea Urchin Lancelets
Flukes Leeches clam Lobsters Starfish Tunicates
Snails Spiders Fish