Animal Phyla

Porifera

• No body symmetry (asymmetrical)

• No mouth or anus (have pores to facilitate the circulation of material)

• May have silica or calcium carbonate based spicules for structural support

• Examples include sea sponges

Cnidaria

• Have radial symmetry

• Have a mouth but no anus (single entrance body cavity)

• May have tentacles with stinging cells for capturing and disabling prey

• Examples include jellyfish, sea anemones and coral

Platyhelmintha

• Have bilateral symmetry

• Have a mouth but no anus (single entrance body cavity)

• Have a flattened body shape to increase SA:Vol ratio and may be parasitic

• Examples include tapeworms and planaria

Annelida

• Have bilateral symmetry

• Have a separate mouth and anus

• Body composed of ringed segments with specialisation of segments

• Examples include earthworms and leeches

Mollusca

• Have bilaterial symmetry

• Have a separate mouth and anus

• Body composed of a visceral mass, a muscular foot and a mantle (may produce shell)

• Examples include snails, slugs, octopi, squid and bivalves (e.g. clams)

Arthropoda

• Have bilateral symmetry

• Have a separate mouth and anus

• Have jointed body sections / appendages and have a hard exoskeleton (chitin)

• Examples include insects, crustaceans, spiders, scorpions and centipedes

Chordata

• Have bilateral symmetry

• Have a separate mouth and anus

• Have a notochord and a hollow, dorsal nerve tube for at least some period of their life cycle

• Examples include mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and fish (also invertebrate sea squirts)