Comparing characters of different Phylum – Porifera, Cnidaria, Ctenophora, Platyhelminthes, Nematoda, Arthropoda, Onychophora, Mollusca, Echinodermata, Hemichordata and Chordata.
Comparison between Phylums:
| Phylum | Level of Organisation | Germ Layer | Coelom | Symmetry | Special Features | Habitat | Sex | Example |
| Porifera | Cellular | Diploblastic | Acoelomate | Asymmetry | Ostia Osculum Spongocoel Spicules | Aquatic → Marine →Freshwater | Bisexual | Scypha sp. (Sycon) Euplectella sp. (V.F. basket) Spongilla sp. Astrosclera sp. (Marine) |
| Cnidaria/ Coelenterata | Tissue | Diploblastic | Acoelomate | Radial Symmetry | Nematocyst Cnidoblast cell Coelenteron Tentacles | Aquatic → Marine →Freshwater | Unisexual Bisexual (some) | Hydra vulgaris Aurelia aurita (JellyFish) Pennatula sp. (Sea pen) |
| Ctenophora | Tissue | Diploblastic | Acoelomate | Bi-radial Symmetry | Comb like ciliary plates Colloblast cell | Aquatic → Marine | Bisexual | Beroe forskalii Hormiphora plumosa |
| Platyhelminthes | Organ | Triploblastic | Acoelomate | Bi-lateral Symmetry | Dorsoventrally Flattened Flame cells Ladder like N.System | »Parasitic *Free Living → Marine →Freshwater | Bisexual Unisexual (Digenean Fluke) | Planaria sp. Polystoma sp. Taenia solium Fasciola hepatica |
| Nematoda | Organ | Triploblastic | Pseudo- coelomate | Bi-lateral Symmetry | Pseudo-coelom Phasmid Amphid Renette gland | »Parasitic →Animals →Plants *Free Living | Unisexual | Dorylaimus sp. Ascaris lumbricoides Wuchereria bancrofti |
| Annelida | Organ System | Triploblastic | Coelomate | Bi-lateral Symmetry | Nephridia Setae Parapodia | *Free Living Aquatic → Marine →Freshwater | Bisexual Unisexual (Polychaeta) | Nereis sp. Pheretima sp. Hirudinaria sp. |
| Arthropoda | Organ System | Triploblastic | Coelomate | Bi-lateral Symmetry | Haemocoel Malphigian tubule Trachea | »Parasitic *Free Living → Aquatic → Terrestrial | Unisexual Bisexual (few) | Limulus sp. Palaemon sp. Bombyx mori Periplaneta sp. |
| Onychophora | Organ system | Triploblastic | Coelomate | Bi-lateral Symmetry | Lobopods Slime glands | *Free Living ->Aquatic →Terrestrial | Unisexual | Peripatus sp. |
| Mollusca | Organ System | Triploblastic | Coelomate | Asymmetry / Bi-lateral Symmetry | Radula Ctenidia Mantle | *Free Living ->Aquatic →Terrestrial | Unisexual | Pila globosa (apple snail) Loligo sp. (Squid) Chiton sp. |
| Echinodermata | Organ System | Triploblastic | Coelomate | Bi-lateral Symmetry | Spines Water vascular system Tube feet | *Free Living ->Aquatic →Marine | Unisexual (large species) Bisexual (small species) | Asterias rubens (Star fish) Echinus sp. Clypeaster sp. |
| Hemichordata | Organ System | Triploblastic | Coelomate | Bi-lateral Symmetry | Pharyngeal gill slit Stomochord Proboscis | *Free Living Aquatic →Marine | Unisexual | Balanoglossus sp. Saccoglossus sp. |
| Chordata | Organ System | Triploblastic | Coelomate | Bi-lateral Symmetry | Notochord Dorsal nerve cord Post anal tail | *Free living → Aquatic →Terrestrial | Unisexual | Homo sapiens (Human) Naja naja (Cobra) Labeo rohita (Rohu fish) |
Level of organisation , Germ layer, Coelom, Symmetry, Special features, Habitat, Sex are discussed with few examples. May be ther few exceptions.
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