The Animal Phyla

Porifera

Representatives: sponges

Diagnostic features: sessile, porous filter feeder, asymmetrical

Cnidaria

Representatives: hydra, coral, jellyfish, sea anemone

Diagnostic features: stinging cells, radial symmetry, polyp / medusa

Platyhelminthes

Representatives: planaria, fluke, tapeworms

Diagnostic features: bilateral symmetry, solid acoelomates, pharynx

Nematoda

Representatives: pinworms, hookworms

Diagnostic features: preudocoelom, complete digestive system, body covered by cuticle

Mollusca

Representatives: clams, snails, squids

Diagnostic features: mantle (shell), visceral mass, muscular head-foot

Bivalves

Representatives: clams

Diagnostic features: two shells

this is a class of the Mollusca phylum

Gastropods

Representatives: snails

Diagnostic features: radula

this is a class of the Mollusca phylum

Cephalopods

Representatives: squids

Diagnostic features: jet propulsion

this is a class of the Mollusca phylum

Annelida

Representatives: earthworms, leeches, nereis

Diagnostic features: segmented body, coelom (internal body cavity), hydrostatic skeleton

Arthropoda

Representatives: flies, spiders, shrimp, crayfish

Diagnostic features: exoskeleton, jointed appendages

Insects

Representatives: flies

Diagnostic features: wings, trachea

this is a class of the Arthropoda phylum

Arachnids

Representatives: spiders

Diagnostic features: book lungs

this is a class of the Arthropoda phylum

Crustaceans

Representatives: shrimp, crayfish

this is a class of the Arthropoda phylum

Echinodermata

Representatives: starfish, sea urchin

Diagnostic features: water vascular system (tube feet), spiny skin

Chordata

Representatives: everything that doesn't belong to the other phylums

Diagnostic features: notochord, dorsal and hollow nerve cord, pharyngeal gill pouches, post-anal tail

this is a huge phylum with two subphylums

Invertebrates

Representatives: tunicates, lancelets

this is a subphylum of the Chordata phylum

Vertebrates

Representatives: fish, amphibians, reptiles, aves, mammals

this is a subphylum of the Chordata phylum

Fish

Representatives: salmon, shark

this is a class of the subphylum Vertebrates

Amphibians

Representatives: frogs, salamanders

this is a class of the subphylum Vertebrates

Reptiles

Representatives: turtles, snakes, crocodiles

this is a class of the subphylum Vertebrates

Aves

Representatives: birds

this is a class of the subphylum Vertebrates

Mammals

Representatives: placentals, monotremes, marsupials

this is a class of the subphylum Vertebrates

Placentals

Representatives: humans

Monotremes

Representatives: platypus

Marsupials

Representatives: kangaroos