EcologyofPorifera

Spongesareidealhabitatsformarineanimalsbecausetheyareirregularly
shapedandmanyarelarge.Theyalsoformpartnershipsofmanyphotosynthetic
bacteria,algae,andplantlikeprotists.Theseprovidefoodandoxygenforthesponge
andthespongeprovidesprotectioninreturn.Theygetenoughlighttocarryout
photosynthesisbyhavingsomespiculesthatlooklikeantennae,whichfocusesand
directslighttothecells.Thatisimportantbecauseitallowsthemtoliveinawiderrange
ofhabitats.

ComparisonofPoriferaandCnidaria

Boththespongesandjellyfisharesimilarinthattheyresperate,circulate,and
excretethesameway.Buttherearesomedifferencesofthetwo.Oneisthatjellyfish
havenatocytestoparalyzetheirprey.Theyalsohavenervenets,statocyst,andocelli.
Thejellyfishhavetwostagespolypandmedusa.Thepolypstayontheground,likethe
sponge,butthemedusafloatsintheocean.Butotherwisetheyareverysimilar.

ComparisonofAnnelidstoPoriferaandCnidaria

Annelidsaremoreadvancedthantheporiferaandthecnidaria.Theyhavea
segmentedbodyandatruecoelom.Theyalsohaveaclosedcirculatorysystem.They
haveabrainandseveralnervecords.Lastlysomewormsarehermaphrodites.

ComparisonofMolluskswiththeAboveAnimals

Mollusksareevenmorecomplexthantheporiferans,cnidarians,andannelids.
Foronething,theyhavefourdifferentpartsofthebodypartsthefoot,mantel,shell,
andvisceralmass.Also,thereisawidevarietyoffoodthateachtypeofanimalcaneat.
Ifthemollusklivesinthewater,thenithasgills.Butifitlivesontheland,thenit
breathesbyhavingitsmantlecavityfilledwithbloodvessels.Molluskscaneitherhavea
simpleorcomplexnervoussystemanditreproducessexuallybyeitherinternalor
externalfertilization.

ComparisonofArthropodswithMollusks

Arthropodsarethemostcomplexorganismswehavedissectedsofar.They
havelessbodysegmentsbutwithmorespecializedappendagesthanmollusks.They
breathebyusingtrachealtubes.Theyalsoexcretewasteusingmalpighiantubules.
Theyhavealotmoresophisticatednervoussystemthanthemollusks.Lastly,they
reproducebyinternalfertilization,butsomemalesareabletoplacespermpacketson
thegroundandfemalespickitup.