Phylum (Class)
Key Names
and Examples
Symmetry of
Body Plan
Tissue
Organization
Coelom
Circulatory
System
Nervous System
Respiratory
System
Digestive
System
Excretory
System
Embryonic
Development
General Characteristics
Porifera
Sponge
Asymmetrical
No True
Tissues
(Parazoa)
N/A
None (Diffusion)
None
None
(Diffusion)
Intracellular
Digestion (Via
Amoebocytes)
None (Diffusion)
-
Sessile, suspension feeders, aquatic habitats,
earliest animals, can produce asexually
(budding) or sexually (hermaphrodites), used in
production of antibiotics
Cnidaria
Hydra, Jellyfish,
Sea Anemone,
Coral
Radial
Diploblasts,
True Tissues
(Eumetazoa)
N/A
None (Diffusion)
Nerve Net, No
Brain
None
(Diffusion)
Gastrovascular
Cavity, Two-Way
Digestion
None (Diffusion)
-
Aquatic habitats, some have stinging cells
(nematocysts), some have life cycle that
switches between polyp and medusa forms,
sexual or asexual reproduction, gastrovascular
cavity acts as hydrostatic skeleton to aid in
movement
Platyhelminths
Flat Worms,
Trematoda,
Flukes,
Tapeworm,
Planarian
Bilateral W/
Cephalization
Triploblasts,
Eumetazoa
Acoelomate
None (Diffusion)
Two Nerve
Cords, Anterior
Centralized
Ganglia (Brain),
Some Planarians
Have Eye Spots
None
(Diffusion)
Gastrovascular
Cavity, Two-Way
Digestion
Protonephridia
and Flame Cells
-
Can reproduce sexually (hermaphrodites) or
asexually (regeneration), mainly aquatic
habitats, parasitic lifestyles, most primitive of
triploblastic animals, has organs. Tapeworms
specifically do not have a true digestive tract,
they just absorb food around them.
Nematoda
Round Worm,
Hook Worm,
Trichina, C.
Elegans,
Ascaris
Bilateral
Triploblasts,
Eumetazoa
Pseudocoelomate
None (Diffusion)
Nerve Chord and
Ring
None
(Diffusion)
Alimentary Canal,
One Way
None (Diffusion)
-
Some have cuticle to prevent degradation by
host digestive system, longitudinal muscles, no
circular muscles, parasitic, not segmented
Rotifera
Rotifers
Bilateral
Triploblasts,
Eumetazoa
Pseudocoelomate
None (Diffusion)
Cerebral Ganglia
(Brain) W/ Some
Nerves
Extending
Through Body
None
(Diffusion)
Alimentary Canal,
Mouth and Anus
Protonephridia
and Flame Cells
-
Not truly segmented, can reproduce sexually or
parthenogenetically, mostly freshwater
environments. Draw food and water into mouth
by beating cilia.
Annelida
Earthworm,
Leech
Bilateral
Triploblasts,
Eumetazoa
Coelomate
Closed
Circulatory
System, Multiple
Pairs of Aortic
Arches, Distinct
Arteries and
Veins
Ventral Nerve
Chord, Anterior
Ganglia (Brain)
None
(Diffusion)
Alimentary Canal,
Mouth and Anus
Most Have
Metanephridia
Protostome
Segmented bodies, septa divide coelom, sexual
(hermaphrodites) and asexual (regeneration)
reproduction, longitudinal and circular muscles
Mollusca
Clam, Snail,
Slug, Squid,
Octopus,
Cephalopod,
Gastropod
Bilateral
Triploblasts,
Eumetazoa
Coelomate
Mainly Open
Ventral Nerve
Chords and Brain
Gills
Complete, Mouth
and Anus,
Radula
Nephridia
Protostome
Visceral mass, calcium carbonate mantle,
radula (tongue), aquatic or terrestrial habitats,
have hemocoel
Arthropoda
(Insecta)
Ant, Dragonfly
Bilateral
Triploblasts,
Eumetazoa
Coelomate
Open Circulatory
System,
Hemolymph
Fused Ganglia,
Ventral Nerve
Chord
Spiracles and
Tracheal
Tubes
One-Way
Digestion, Some
Have Salivary
Glands
Malpighian
Tubules
Protostome
Exoskeleton, jointed appendages, coelomates,
three pairs of legs, chitinous exoskeleton, more
species than any other phylum combined,
metamorphosis
Arthropoda
(Arachnida)
Spider,
Scorpion
Bilateral
Triploblasts,
Eumetazoa
Coelomate
Open Circulatory
System,
Hemolymph
Fused Ganglia,
Ventral Nerve
Chord
Trachea or
Book Lungs
One-Way
Digestion, Some
Have Salivary
Glands
Malpighian
Tubules and/or
Coxal Glands
Protostome
Exoskeleton, jointed appendages, coelomates,
four pairs of legs, land habitats
Arthropoda
(Crustacea)
Lobster,
Crayfish, Crab
Bilateral
Triploblasts,
Eumetazoa
Coelomate
Open Circulatory
System,
Hemolymph
Fused Ganglia,
Ventral Nerve
Chord
Some Have
Gills
One-Way
Digestion, Some
Have Salivary
Glands
Terrestrial: Use
Malpighian;
Aquatic Use
Green Glands
Protostome
Exoskeleton, jointed appendages, coelomates,
aquatic habitats
Echinodermata
Starfish, Sea
Urchin, Sea
Cucumber
Bilateral
(Larvae),
Fivefold Radial
(Adult)
Triploblasts,
Eumetazoa
Coelomate
Open, No Heart
Nerve Ring and
Radial Nerves
None
(Diffusion)
Complete, Mouth
and Anus
None (Diffusion)
Deuterostome
Spiny, central disk, water vascular system, tube
feet, sexual or asexual reproduction, closest
related major phyla to chordates
Chordata
Vertebrates
Bilateral
Triploblasts,
Eumetazoa
Coelomate
See Other Table
Deuterostome
See '
' Sheet