Term | Definition |
Invertebrate | A creature lacking a backbone |
Vertebrate | A creature with a backbone |
Porifera | The phylum of creatures which includes sponges |
Cnidaria | The phylum of creatures which includes jellies, anemones, and ocean coral |
Platyhelminthes | The phylum of creatures which includes flatworms |
Nematoda | The phylum of creatures which includes roundworms |
Ectoderm | Means "outer covering" or "outer skin". Refers to outer layer of cells on a sponge |
Choanocyte | Collar cells lining the inner surface of a sponge. These generate water current by spinning their flagella. They capture food with the sticky collar, then pull the food into their mouth. |
Spicule | Structure in the body of a sponge; made of carbonate or silicate material. Responsible for the spines found on the surface of some sponges. |
Collagen | Flexible protein found in tendons and ligaments in humans. Also found in fibers of fibrous (soft) sponges. |
Demospongia | Class of sponges in phylum Porifera. The bath sponges are members of Demospongia. |
Calcarea | Class of sponges in phylum Porifera. The "rock" sponges are members of Calcarea. |
Hexactinellida | Class of sponges in phylum Porifera. The "glass" sponges are members of Hexactinellida. |
Amebocyte | Motile cell in the body of a sponge. Responsible for carrying food from collar cells to ectoderm cells. |
Hydrozoa | Class of Cnidarians including hydra and Portugese man O War |
Scyphozoa | Class of Cnidarians that includes true jellies. |
Cubozoa | Class of Cnidarians that includes box jellies |
Anthozoa | Class of Cnidarians that includes corals and anemones |
Planula | Larvae form of a cnidarian. Has small hairs for swimming until settling to ocean floor. |
Budding Polyp | Product of asexual reproduction in cnidarians. Identical to parent polyp. |
Mid-Sagittal | Plane that divides a bilaterally symmetric creature into a right and left half. |
Frontal | Plane that divides a bilaterally symmetric creature into a dorsal and ventral. |
Transverse | Plane that divides a bilaterally symmetric creature into a posterior and anterior. |
Coelem | A hollow interior cavity, surrounded on all sides by mesoderm. |
Turbellaria | Class of Platyhelminthes which includes planaria and most marine flatworms. |
Tremetoda | Class of Platyhelminthes which includes flukes. |
Cestoda | Class of Platyhelminthes which includes tapeworm. |
Nematocyst | Stinging cell of Cnidarians. |
Sessile | Stationary. Having a lifestyle of little movement. |
Bilateral Symmetry | Symmetry with only one plane that divides the creature into two identical halves. |
Radial Symmetry | Symmetry with multiple planes that divide the creature into two identical halves. |
Polyp | The sessile form of the Cnidarian life cycle |
Medusa | The motile form of the Cnidarian life cycle |
Hermaphrodite | A creature with no specific gender. Generates both male and female gametes. |
Herbivore | A creature for which plant matter is the exclusive diet. |
Carnivore | A creature for which animal matter is the exclusive diet. |
Omnivore | A creature for which both plants and animals form the diet. |
Chromadorea | Class of Nematoda which includes Pinworms and Hookworms |
Enoplea | Class of Nematoda which includes Trichinella |