One unanswered question relates to their evolutionary position among the lower Metazoa (a division of the animal kingdom that includes all phyla except the Protozoa). They all have tentacles with stinging cells called nematocysts that they use to capture food. Animals in the phylum Chordata share four key features that appear at some stage during their development: a notochord, a dorsal hollow nerve cord, pharyngeal slits, and a post-anal tail (Figure 2). Hydrozoa (Gk. A Cnidocyte is … In some groups, some of these are present only during embryonic development. The key difference between Cnidaria and Ctenophora is that the cnidaria show alteration of generation between medusa and polyp, while Ctenophora does not show alteration of generation; only medusa form is present.. Phylum Coelenterata is a subdivision of Kingdom Animalia. Class Hydrozoa represents the most primitive forms amongst the Cnidarians. A prominent difference between the two classes is the arrangement of tentacles. The lowest hydrozoan form is exhibited by Hydra and the hydrula stage of some Hydrozoa. Cnidarian - Cnidarian - Critical appraisal: The classification of living cnidarians is relatively stable and generally accepted. Phylum Cnidaria. This is because cnidarians are things like corals, anemones, jellies, and hydras. These species may achieve sizes of 15–25 cm. Class 1. Characteristics of Phylum Cnidaria. In spite of […] All Cnidaria are aquatic, mostly marine, organisms. Phylum Cnidaria includes animals that show radial or biradial symmetry and are diploblastic, that is, they develop from two embryonic layers.Nearly all (about 99 percent) cnidarians are marine species. Phylum Cnidaria includes animals that show radial or biradial symmetry and are diploblastic, that is, they develop from two embryonic layers. Classes in the Phylum Cnidaria. Cnidarians only have two body layers, the ectoderm and endoderm, separated by a jelly-like layer called the mesoglea. Cnidarians share several basic characteristics. When damaged, some cnidarians can regenerate their body parts, making them effectively immortal. Hydros- water, zoon- animal): Either only polyps are found or polyps and medusae are present. Jellyfish, any planktonic marine member of the class Scyphozoa (phylum Cnidaria), a group of invertebrate animals composed of about 200 described species, or of the class Cubozoa (approximately 20 species). The relationship between Hydrozoa and Scyphozoa is not very clear. ADVERTISEMENTS: In this article we will discuss about the interrelationships between the different classes of phylum Cnidaria. Nearly all (about 99 percent) cnidarians are marine species. Nematocysts – and their enclosing Cnidocytes – come in about 24 different forms. The phylum Cnidaria contains more than 10,000 living species, among them, mostly are marine animals whereas only 20 species inhabit in freshwater. is the phylum of animals that contains corals, jellyfish (sea jellies), sea anemones, sea pens, and hydrozoans. Cubozoans display overall morphological and anatomical characteristics that are similar to those of the scyphozoans. The Cnidaria (Cnidaria spp.) Most Cnidarians have radial symmetry. Cnidarians contain specialized cells known as cnidocytes (“stinging cells”) containing organelles called nematocysts (stingers). This is the most venomous group of all the cnidarians (Figure 4). One of the most important distinguishing characteristics of the phylum cnidaria are the Nematocysts. Phylum Cnidaria is a pretty cool group of animals. The differences play a functional role in the classification of the phylum. Cnidarian species are found throughout the world and are quite diverse, but they share many similar characteristics. 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