marine bio

Porifera

A phylum of marine invertebrates known as sponges, characterized by being sessile and filter feeders.

Cnidaria

A phylum including jellyfish, corals, and anemones, known for their stinging cells and radial symmetry.

Mollusks

Soft-bodied marine animals with a hard shell (in many), classified into classes like Gastropoda and Cephalopoda.

Arthropods

Invertebrates with jointed appendages and an exoskeleton, includes crustaceans like crabs and shrimp.

Agnatha

Jawless fish, such as lampreys and hagfish.

Chondrichthyes

Cartilaginous fish, including sharks and rays.

Osteichthyes

Bony fish characterized by true bones and a swim bladder for buoyancy.

Ecdysis

The process of molting, which arthropods must undergo to grow.

Bioluminescence

The ability of some marine organisms to produce light for defense, mating, or hunting.

Radial symmetry

A body plan in which body parts are arranged around a central axis, typical of Cnidaria.

Bilateral symmetry

A body plan in which the left and right sides are mirror images, common in Mollusks and Arthropods.

Filter feeders

Organisms that feed by straining suspended matter and food particles from water.

Hermaphroditic

Organisms that can produce both eggs and sperm, found in certain species of sponges.

Incomplete digestive system

A system with only one opening for both ingestion and excretion, as seen in Cnidaria.

True coelom

A body cavity fully lined with mesoderm, characteristic of Mollusks.

Compound eyes

Eyes made up of many small visual units, found in Arthropods.