#echinodermata

[snototter]

A nine-armed sea star (Luidia senegalensis) in Indian River Lagoon, Florida, USA

by Arthur Anker

[famousfishathletecookie]

[psappho-loves-staurozoans]

Corocrinus Calypso

[lifedrainingleech]

basket stars

[andrenaflavipes]

Last time i could walk on the beach - it was cold and windy and we didn't see much, but there are always brittle stars for those with eyes to see.

(Ophiura ophiura)

3.ii.2024

[segmentedleg]

File:Echinarachnius parma (6806969731).jpg

EPA New England divers unexpectedly came upon a very large gathering of sand dollars at Folly Cove in Gloucester, Massachusetts. These sand dollars (Echinarachnius parma) and a few baffled hermit crabs were photographed in 25 feet of water. This unusual scene was captured during a dive to monitor invasive species in the area.

[animalshowdown]

Phylum Round 1

⭐ ECHINODERMATA vs. PORIFERA 🧽

Echinodermata

Porifera

Voting ended onJan 28, 2024

Echinodermata: Sea urchins, sea stars, sea cucumbers, brittle stars, and feather stars. This widespread phylum can be found near every continent, including Antarctica, where they are particularly dominant. They are distinctive for their radially symmetrical body and skeleton located between the outer skin and inner body cavity. They move by hydraulic power using a "water vascular system" which pumps water throughout their body. Hundreds of tube feet extend and retract using this system, allowing them to crawl on the seafloor. These organisms play important roles in the food chain of their habitats, like sea urchins grazing in kelp forests.

Porifera: Sponges. One of the oldest forms of animal life on Earth, Porifera represents an evolutionary transition to multicellular life. Their bodies are made up many individual cells, rather than having true tissues, but these cells work together as one organism. By beating specialized flagella (whip-like structures), Sponges create a water current through their many pores, so they may filter feed while living on the seafloor. Various species have developed unique adaptations, such as an internal skeleton of spikes, symbiosis with photosynthesizers, or potent toxins to ward off predators. Many Sponges produce unusual chemical compounds that may be useful to medical research.

[indeedgoodman]

Basket Star.