3 min read•Last Updated on July 22, 2024
Echinoderms are unique marine animals with pentaradial symmetry and a water vascular system. These invertebrates, including sea stars and urchins, play crucial roles in ocean ecosystems as keystone species and bioturbators.
Echinoderms possess remarkable regenerative abilities and have economic value in cuisine and medicine. Their diverse adaptations, from the Aristotle's lantern of sea urchins to the autotomizing arms of brittle stars, showcase their evolutionary success in marine environments.
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Echinodermata | Digital Atlas of Ancient Life View original
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Frontiers | The Microbial Landscape of Sea Stars and the Anatomical and Interspecies Variability ... View original
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Phylum Echinodermata | Biology for Non-Majors II View original
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Phylum Echinodermata | Biology for Non-Majors II View original
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Echinodermata | Digital Atlas of Ancient Life View original
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Frontiers | The Microbial Landscape of Sea Stars and the Anatomical and Interspecies Variability ... View original
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Phylum Echinodermata | Biology for Non-Majors II View original
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Echinodermata | Digital Atlas of Ancient Life View original
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Asexual reproduction is a mode of reproduction that involves a single organism producing offspring genetically identical to itself, without the involvement of gametes or fertilization. This process allows for rapid population growth and colonization in stable environments, as it doesn’t require a mate and can occur quickly under favorable conditions.
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Asexual reproduction is a mode of reproduction that involves a single organism producing offspring genetically identical to itself, without the involvement of gametes or fertilization. This process allows for rapid population growth and colonization in stable environments, as it doesn’t require a mate and can occur quickly under favorable conditions.
Term 1 of 21
The water vascular system is a network of fluid-filled canals unique to echinoderms, such as sea stars and sea urchins, that plays a crucial role in locomotion, feeding, and respiration. This system operates through hydraulic pressure, allowing echinoderms to move their tube feet, which function in movement and grasping food. By using water pressure instead of muscles, this system enables these marine animals to adapt effectively to their environments.
tube feet: Tube feet are small, flexible appendages that extend from the water vascular system, allowing echinoderms to move, adhere to surfaces, and capture prey.
madreporite: The madreporite is a sieve-like structure on the surface of echinoderms that regulates the entry of water into the water vascular system.
ambulacral groove: The ambulacral groove is a channel along the underside of the arms of sea stars and other echinoderms that houses tube feet and aids in locomotion and feeding.
A keystone species is an organism that has a disproportionately large effect on its environment relative to its abundance. The presence or absence of a keystone species can significantly influence the structure and dynamics of an entire ecosystem, affecting many other species and their relationships within that environment.
Trophic Cascade: A trophic cascade is an ecological phenomenon triggered by the removal or addition of top predators, leading to dramatic changes in ecosystem structure and nutrient cycling.
Biodiversity: Biodiversity refers to the variety of life in a particular ecosystem, including the number of different species, genetic variation within those species, and the variety of ecosystems.
Ecosystem Engineer: An ecosystem engineer is a species that creates, significantly modifies, maintains, or destroys a habitat, thus impacting other organisms and the environment.
Deuterostomes are a major group of animals characterized by their embryonic development, where the first opening that forms during early development becomes the anus, while the mouth forms later. This group includes important phyla such as echinoderms and chordates, which have distinct features like radial symmetry in adults and unique developmental pathways. Understanding deuterostomes is crucial for grasping the evolutionary relationships and developmental biology of these diverse organisms.
Protostome: A major group of animals where the first opening in embryonic development becomes the mouth, distinguishing them from deuterostomes.
Echinoderm: A phylum of marine animals that includes sea stars, sea urchins, and sea cucumbers, characterized by their radial symmetry and unique water vascular system.
Chordate: A phylum that includes animals with a notochord at some stage of development, such as vertebrates, which are also classified as deuterostomes.
A sea star, also known as a starfish, is a marine echinoderm characterized by its star-shaped body with five or more radiating arms. Sea stars play a vital role in marine ecosystems, often serving as predators that help regulate populations of other marine organisms, particularly mollusks and barnacles.
Echinodermata: A phylum of marine animals that includes sea stars, sea urchins, and sea cucumbers, known for their radial symmetry and unique water vascular system.
Regeneration: The ability of sea stars to regrow lost arms or body parts, which is a crucial survival strategy in the wild.
Tube feet: Small, flexible appendages found on the underside of sea stars used for movement, feeding, and grasping surfaces.
Ossicles are small calcareous structures that form the internal skeleton of echinoderms, such as sea stars and sea urchins. These skeletal elements play a crucial role in providing support and protection to these organisms, allowing them to maintain their shape and perform various biological functions. Ossicles can vary in size and shape depending on the species and their specific ecological adaptations.
Endoskeleton: The internal skeleton found in echinoderms, composed of ossicles, which provides structural support.
Water vascular system: A unique hydraulic system in echinoderms that aids in locomotion, feeding, and respiration, working alongside the support provided by ossicles.
Pentamerous symmetry: A characteristic body plan of echinoderms where their body structure is organized around five radiating points, often influenced by the arrangement of ossicles.
Sea urchins are spiny, globular marine animals that belong to the class Echinoidea within the phylum Echinodermata. They play an essential role in marine ecosystems, often found on rocky seafloors and feeding on algae, which helps to maintain the balance of underwater habitats. Sea urchins exhibit a unique body structure with a hard shell called a test, covered in movable spines that provide both protection and mobility.
Echinodermata: A phylum of marine animals characterized by their radial symmetry, a calcareous endoskeleton, and a water vascular system, which includes sea stars, sea cucumbers, and sea urchins.
Test: The hard, protective outer shell of a sea urchin, made up of calcium carbonate plates that form a rigid structure.
Water Vascular System: A unique hydraulic system used by echinoderms for movement, feeding, and gas exchange, which operates through the use of tube feet.
A brittle star is a type of echinoderm belonging to the class Ophiuroidea, known for its long, slender arms that can easily detach from its central disc. These organisms are closely related to sea stars and sea urchins, sharing common features like a hard calcareous endoskeleton and tube feet. Brittle stars are unique for their ability to move rapidly and their distinct behavior of using their arms for locomotion, which sets them apart from other echinoderms.
Ophiuroidea: The class of echinoderms that includes brittle stars, characterized by their long, flexible arms and central disc.
Echinodermata: The phylum that includes all echinoderms, such as sea stars, sea urchins, and brittle stars, known for their radial symmetry and water vascular system.
Tube feet: Small, flexible appendages found in echinoderms used for movement and feeding, powered by the water vascular system.
Asteroidea is a class of echinoderms commonly known as sea stars or starfish, characterized by their star-shaped bodies with five or more radiating arms. These marine animals are found in a variety of habitats, from intertidal zones to deep-sea environments, and play significant roles in the marine ecosystem as predators and scavengers.
Echinodermata: A phylum of marine animals that includes sea stars, sea urchins, and sea cucumbers, known for their radial symmetry and unique water vascular system.
Tube feet: Small, flexible appendages found on the underside of sea stars that function in locomotion, feeding, and respiration through hydraulic pressure from the water vascular system.
Regeneration: The ability of sea stars to regenerate lost arms, a key adaptation that helps them survive predation and environmental challenges.
Echinoidea is a class of marine animals within the phylum Echinodermata, which includes sea urchins and sand dollars. These creatures are characterized by their hard, spiny exoskeletons and a unique body structure known as the test, which is composed of fused calcareous plates. Echinoidea plays a crucial role in marine ecosystems, often serving as herbivores that graze on algae and contribute to the overall health of coral reefs and other underwater habitats.
Echinodermata: The phylum that includes all echinoderms, characterized by their radial symmetry, water vascular system, and ability to regenerate lost body parts.
Test: The rigid skeleton of echinoids, formed by the fusion of calcareous plates, which provides protection and support for the organism.
Aristotle's Lantern: A complex jaw-like structure found in echinoids that allows them to scrape algae and other food from surfaces.
Ophiuroidea, commonly known as brittle stars and basket stars, is a class of echinoderms characterized by their slender, flexible arms and a distinct central disc. They are primarily found on the ocean floor, often in shallow waters, and play important roles in marine ecosystems as scavengers and prey for various marine animals.
Echinodermata: The phylum that includes marine animals like sea stars, sea urchins, and brittle stars, characterized by their radial symmetry and a water vascular system.
Arms: The long, flexible appendages of brittle stars that allow for locomotion and feeding by using tube feet located on their underside.
Regeneration: The biological process by which brittle stars can regrow lost arms, allowing them to recover from predation or injury.
Crinoidea, commonly known as sea lilies or feather stars, are a class of echinoderms characterized by their unique body structure, which features a central stalk and feathery arms that extend outward. These marine animals are primarily found in deep waters and are part of the larger echinoderm group, which includes other familiar members like sea stars and sea urchins. Crinoidea play an essential role in marine ecosystems, often serving as filter feeders that contribute to the nutrient cycling in their habitats.
Echinodermata: A phylum of marine animals that includes echinoderms like sea stars, sea urchins, and crinoids, characterized by their radial symmetry and water vascular system.
Filter feeder: An organism that feeds by straining suspended matter and food particles from water, which is a key feeding strategy for crinoids.
Stalked and unstalked: Refers to the two main forms of crinoids, with stalked crinoids attached to the substrate and unstalked crinoids (feather stars) that can swim freely in the water.
Holothuroidea, commonly known as sea cucumbers, is a class of echinoderms that have a leathery body and elongated shape, resembling a cucumber. These fascinating creatures play essential roles in marine ecosystems, particularly in nutrient cycling and sediment turnover, and are closely related to other echinoderms like sea stars and sea urchins.
Echinodermata: The phylum that includes marine animals characterized by a hard skeleton and radial symmetry, which encompasses sea stars, sea urchins, and sea cucumbers.
Tube feet: Small, flexible structures found in echinoderms used for movement, feeding, and respiration; they operate using a water vascular system.
Detritivore: An organism that feeds on dead organic material and contributes to the decomposition process; many holothuroidea species are detritivores.
Regeneration is the biological process through which organisms can replace lost or damaged body parts. This remarkable ability is seen in various marine creatures, allowing them to survive and adapt to their environments by restoring essential functions and structures. The capacity for regeneration not only aids in recovery from injuries but also plays a significant role in reproduction and maintaining population dynamics in marine ecosystems.
Asexual Reproduction: A form of reproduction where offspring are produced from a single parent without the involvement of gametes, often through processes like budding or fragmentation.
Morphallaxis: A type of regeneration where the organism reorganizes existing tissues to form new structures, often seen in some marine worms and simpler organisms.
Epimorphosis: A regenerative process that involves the growth of new tissues and structures from a blastema, commonly observed in more complex organisms like sea stars.