PHYLUM ECHINODERMATA Arms (generally five, or multiple of five) extend from central disc.

Contains all the

(echino, spine; dermata, skin) Class armed echinoderms (brittle stars or ophiuroids and sea stars or asteroids)
Stelleroidea
(6 500 extant species in four classes;
(L: a star) Subclass Asteroidea (G: star-like): Sea stars (+ 1900 species). Arms not
13 000 fossil species found in 16 classes) sharply set off from central disc, arms non-moveable, ambulacral groove is open,
large coelomic cavity is present in relatively wide arms, tube feet with suckers
Defining characteristics on oral side, endoskeleton consists of separate ossicles. Gonads and portions
1. Complex series of fluid-filled canals (water vascular system) derived from pair of coelomic of digestive tract extend into each arm. Astropecten, Asterina, Patiriella,
compartments that service numerous flexible feeding and locomotory appendages (tube Acanthaster, Asterias
feet);
2. Five-pointed (pentamerous) radial symmetry in adults; Subclass Ophiuroidea (G: snake-like): Brittle stars & basket stars (+ 2100
3. Calcareous ossicles derived from mesodermal tissue forming an endoskeleton; species, all motile). Arms sharply set off from central disc, arms moveable.
4. Connective tissue is mutable: its stiffness and fluidity can be rapidly and dramatically Ambulacral groove absent. Well-developed ossicles in arms form linear series of
altered through the nervous system. articulating “vertebrae”, joined together by connective tissue and muscles. Tube
feet without suckers and not used for locomotion. Oral surface bears 5 pair of
Echinoderms are exclusively marine (a few species are estuarine, none freshwater), and largely invaginations that serve for gas exchange and as brood chambers for developing
bottom dwellers and include sea lilies, feather stars, brittle stars, sea stars, sand dollars, sea embryos. Amphiura, Ophiura, Ophiothrix
urchins, sea biscuits and sea cucumbers. Echinoderms start live as bilateral symmetric larvae,
undergoes metaphorphosis to radially symmetric adult. Radial symmetry of adults has, however, The Concentricycloids (L: concentric rings): Sea daisies, disc-shaped
been secondarily derived from a bilateral ancestral form. Echinoderms are thus in no way related animals discovered over 1000 m deep in New Zealand, in 1986 only three
to other radial forms such as sponges, cnidarians and ctenophores. As radially symmetricla species are so far known, second from wooden panels planted in Bahamas, at
animals they lack cephalisation. Thus adult ehinoderms generally do not have anterior or posterior a depth of 2 000 m and the third in 2006. Pentaradial in symmetry with no arms,
ends. Instead, body surfacses are designated as being oral (bearing mouth) and aboral (not tube feet located around periphery of disc rather along the ambulacral areas as
bearing mouth). Echinoderms possess a spacious coelom in which a well developed digestive in other echinoderms. Water vascular system includes what appear to be two
tract is suspended. There is no excretory system, though a cilia-driven nephridial system occurs concentric water vascular rings. Tube feet arranged in a circular pattern along
in larvae. A true heart is also absent. Most members are dioecious. The reproductive tract is very animal’s periphery. Body exhibits no evidence of pentamerous radial symmetry
simple, as there is no copulation and fertilisation is external in the sea water. and sperm are unlike those known from any other echinoderms. Recent analysis
Development – the gastrula develops into a free-swimming larva, (which is bilaterally argues for inclusion with Asteroidea. Xyloplax
symmetrical). This larva undergoes metamorphosis is which the radial symmetry of the adult Sea cucumbers (+ 1200 species). Body worm-shaped with no arms, being greatly
develops. Class elongated along oral/aboral axis. Spines absent, microscopic calcareous ossicles
Echinoderms are unique in being virtually the only major phylum in the Animal Kingdom in Holothuroidea embedded individually in thick muscular wall, ambulacral grooves closed, tube feet
which there are no parasitic species. Moreover, there are only a few echinoderms that are with suckers, circumoral tentacles, pedecellariae absent. Highly branched,
commensal on other animals. But echinoderms are hosts for an enormous number of muscular respiratory structures (respiratory trees) extend from cloaca into
commensals and parasites from other animal groups. coelomic cavity. Cucumaria, Holothuria
The series of fluid-filled canals lead to thin-walled tubular structures called podia (or tube feet).
A single echinoderm may possess more than 2000 tube feet. Locomotion often requires the
coordinated protraction and retraction of all those feet.
A lovely young starfish quite famous
Sea lilies and feather stars regarded as most primitive class of living Had a crush on a sea cuke named Amos.
Class Echinodermata.
Crinoidea (G: Cup-shaped body, with arms usually in 5-part pattern, attached by stalk or free- She thought he was hot
lily-like) moving, mouth and anus on oral side. ‘till she utterd in shock,
+ 700 Main part of body supported above substrate either by long stalk or by series of
species grasping claws (cirri). “My Lord! This guy breathes through his anus!”
Stalked crinoids (sea lilies) – 100 species, all deep-water. Holopus, Ptilocrinus (Courtesy of Chip Biernbaum, College of Charleston)
Sea urchins (radial or regular) & sand dollars (bilateral or irregular) (+ 1000 spp).
Class Ossicles are joined to form a rigid test. Podia pores pass through ambulacral
Echinoidea plates. Adults generally possess complex system of ossicles and muscles
(G: spine-like) (Aristotle’s lantern) that can be partially protruded from the mouth for grazing and
chewing. More or less globular or disc-shaped with no arms, compact skeleton
(test) movable spines, ambulacral grooves covered by ossicles, closed tube feet
with suckers, pedicellariae present. Diadema, Tripneustes

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 PHYLUM ECHINODERMATA Tripneustes, Toxopneustes
Order Echinoida
Subphylum Crinozoa Echinus, Strongylocentrotus
Order Holectypoida
Class Crinoidea (sea lilies and feather stars)
Echinoneus
Order Millercrinida (stalked sea lilies)
Order Clypeasteroida (sea biscuits and sand dollars)
Ptilocrinus
Cypeaster, Dendraster
Order Cyrtocrinida (sea lilies with short stalk)
Order Spatangoida (heart urchins and bottle urchins)
Holopus
Echinocardium, Moira, Pourtalesia
Order Bougueticrinida (stalked sea lilies)
Class Holothuroidea (sea cucumbers)
Bathycrinus
Order Dendrochirotida (all with oral tentacles that are elaborately branched)
Order Isocrinida (sea lilies with long stalks)
Cucumaria
Neocrinus
Order Aspidochirotida
Order Comatulida (feather stars)
Holothuria, Stichopus
Comacanthus, Comantheria, Comanthina
Order Elasipodida
Subphylum Asterozoa Pelagothurnia
Order Apodida (complete absence of tube feet)
Class Stelleroidea
Euapta, Leptosynapta
Subclass Somasteroidea (most known only as fossils)
Order Molpadiida
Subclass Ophiuroidea (brittle stars and basket stars)
Molpadia, Caudina
Order Phrynophiurida (includes basket stars)
Gorgonocephalus
Order Ophiurida (brittle stars)
Amphiura, Amphipholis, Ophiura
Subclass Asteroidea (sea stars)
Order Platyasterida
Luidia
Order Paxillosida (mud stars)
Astropecten
Order Valvatida
Asterina, Patiriella
Order Spinulosida (crown-of-thors, blood stars, sun stars)
Acanthaster, Henricia, Solaster
Order Forcipulatida (another group of sun stars and rat tail stars)
Asterias, Heliaster
Order Brisingida (deep sea stars)
Brisinga
The concentricycloids (sea daisies)
Xyloplax

Subphylum Echinozoa
Class Echinoidea (urchins, sea biscuits, sand dollars)
Order Cidaroida (pencil urchins)
Eucidaris
Order Echinothuroida (deep water species)
Order Diadematoida
Diadema, Echinothrix
Order Arbacioida
Arbacia
Order Temnopleuroida

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