cnidarian, also called coelenterate, any member of the phylum Cnidaria (Coelenterata), a group made up of more than 9,000 living species. Mostly marine animals, the cnidarians include the corals, hydras, jellyfish, Portuguese men-of-war, sea anemones, sea pens, sea whips, and sea fans.The phylum Cnidaria is made up of four classes: Hydrozoa (hydrozoans); Scyphozoa (scyphozoans); Anthozoa (anthozoans); and Cubozoa (cubozoans). All cnidarians share several attributes, supporting the theory that they had a single origin. Variety and symmetry of body forms, varied coloration, and the sometimes complex life histories of cnidarians fascinate layperson and scientist alike.
Only cnidarians manufacture microscopic intracellular stinging capsules, known as nematocysts or cnidae, which give the phylum its name. The alternative name, coelenterate, refers to their simple organization around a central body cavity (the coelenteron). As first defined, coelenterates included not only the animals now designated cnidarians but also sponges (phylum Porifera) and comb jellies (phylum Ctenophora). In contemporary usage, “coelenterate” generally refers only to cnidarians, but the latter term is used in order to avoid ambiguity.
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Fsc Biology lecture series by irtisamsbiology
Негізгі бет 10.4 Phylum Coelenterata or Cnidaria | Life cycle of Coelenterates | Fsc Biology Kingdom Animalia
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