PHYLUM CNIDARIA

Radiate Animals

About the Phylum Cnidaria

Cnidaria are a phylum of aquatic animals that includes jellyfish and corals. They have two body shapes: the medusa (a jellyfish-like swimming form) and the polyp (a sea anemone-like sessile or static form). During their life cycle they may transform themselves from one shape to the other. All cnidarians possess stinging cells, which they use to kill or paralyse prey.

ORIGIN AND EMERGENCE

FORM AND FUNCTION

Parts
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Radial symmetry is primary Gastrovascular cavity for digestion Tentacles - feeding, locomotion, defense Cnidocytes - stinging cells (nematocysts) Two Body Forms: Polyp or Medusa
a. b. c. d. Polyp- cylindrical, attached, mouth and tentacles upright Medusa - umbrella, mouth and tentacles down Polymorphic (alternates between polyp and medusa) Solitary or Colonial

6. Tissue Differentiation and Body Wall

a. Epidermis
epitheliomuscular (myoepithelium) interstitial cells - capable of forming other tissues nerve cells - sensory and motor cnidocytes - discharge nematocysts, used once

b. Mesoglea
jelly-like matrix, mostly acellular, fluid or rigid

c. Gastrodermis
nutritive-muscle and enzymatic cells cnidocytes (lacking in hydrozoans)

7. Nervous System - Nerve Net

a. b. Anastomosing network of nerve fibers Mostly in epidermis (connects to gastrodermis/endoderm)

8. Skeletal System
a. b. Mesoglea (endoskeleton) Calcium carbonate or chitin (exoskeleton)

9. Digestive System
a. b. Gastrovascular cavity - nutritive-muscle, enzymatic All Cnidarians are carnivorous

Reproduction
a. b. Asexual budding of polyps Sexual reproduction (medusa)
Dioecious or hermaphroditic Gametes produced from interstitial cells of epidermis (hydrozoans) or from gastrodermis

c. Regeneration - interstitial cells of epidermis

Stages of Life Cycle

The text-book depiction of the typical cnidarian life cycle is an alternation between a medusa and a polyp (termed metagenesis).

The cnidarian larva is the planula, a pear-shaped, entirely ciliated animal.

1. 2. 3.

In the "typical" cnidarian life cycle, male and female medusae spawn freely into the sea, where fertilization occurs and a planula develops. At metamorphosis, the planula settles on and attaches to the substratum, where it metamorphoses into a polyp. The primary polyp produces additional polyps asexually, by budding, stolonic outgrowth, or some other process, to form a clone or a colony.

4.
5.

At the appropriate time, medusae are produced asexually.

They are released to take up a pelagic existence and the cycle begins anew.

Anthozoa
Absence of Medusa Some individuals form gametes which may reproduce vegetatively

Hydrozoa
Life Cycles are the most diverse in the phylum Medusozoa Polyp is the more persistent stage in most taxa Can still lack poly or medusa phase

Cubozoa
Medusozoa Medusa dominates the life cycle polyp metamorphoses into a medusa (formerly considered an order of Scyphozoa)

Scyphozoa
Medusozoa Medusa dominates the life cycle

Distinguishing Features
NEMATOCYSTS Protective Feature
The nematocyst is located inside the onecelled Cnidoblast which in turn is located on the tentacles of the coral polyp, which lives inside its calcareous cup. At night the polyps partially emerge from their cups to feed. Each Cnidoblast has a trigger, the cnidocil, which is usually activated by physical contact but sometimes by chemical stimuli (such as minute quantities of animal juices in the water), causing the cell to burst open and extrude its contents. Inside each cnidoblast is a coiled thread, a nematocyst, which explodes out of the cell. Only those nematocysts located in the stimulated area are discharged.

Distinguishing Features
POLYPOID
Cylindrical polyp form, often sessile or attached (benthic), with tentacles encircling the mouth at the oral end 3 types of polypoid zooids viz. gastrozooids ( feeding zooids ) dactylozooids (help in defense) gonozooids - which take part in reproduction

Polymorphism the existence of more than one body form is another distinguishing feature of this group.

MEDUSOID
Umbrella form or belllike medusa form, free swimming (planktonic or pelagic) with the mouth at the end of a manubrium and the tentacles on the bell margin 4 main types of medusoid zooids: swimming bells, Bracts cover over zooids Gonophores liberate gametes Pneumatophores - gas filled structures which assist the colony in floating in water
Cnidarians ,especially the members of order siphonophora and chondrophora exhibit polymorphism. Polymorphism means different individuals varying in structure and function form a colony which exists as a whole animal. The different forms are called zooids. Zooids can be polypoid or medusoid.

MAJOR TAXA OF PHYLUM CNIDARIA

Anthozoa, Scyphozoa, Cubozoa, Hydrozoa

ANTHOZOA
Greek words (nthos; "flower") and (za; "animals");

hence anthozoa = "flower animals", a reference to the floral appearance of their perennial polyp stage.
The class of Anthozoa primarily comprises of sea anemones, corals, sea pens. Unlike other cnidarians, anthozoans do not have a medusa stage in their development. Instead, they release sperm and eggs that form a planula, which attaches to some substrate on which the cnidarian grows. Some anthozoans can also reproduce asexually through budding. More than 6,100 species have been described.

SCYPHOZOA
Referred to as the True Jellyfish The class name Scyphozoa comes from the Greek word skyphos (), denoting a kind of drinking cup and alluding to the cup shape of the organism.

Scyphozoans usually display a four-part symmetry and have an internal gelatinous material called mesoglea, which provides the same structural integrity as a skeleton. The mesoglea includes mobile amoeboid cells originating from the epidermis. Scyphozoans have no durable hard parts, including no head, no skeleton and no specialized organs for respiration or excretion. Marine jellyfish can consist of as much as 98% water and therefore are rarely found in fossil form.

CUBOZOA
Referred to as the Box Jellyfish or an ambiguous term Sea wasp. Cnidarian invertebrates distinguished by their cube-shaped medusae. Box jellyfish are known for the extremely potent venom produced by some species. Box jellyfish most visibly differ from the Scyphozoan jellyfish in that they are umbrella shaped, rather than domed or crown-shaped. The underside of the umbrella includes a flap, or velarium, concentrating and increasing the flow of water expelled from the umbrella. As a result, box jellyfish can move more rapidly than other jellyfish. In fact, speeds of up to six meters per minute have been recorded. A box jellyfish has the closest thing a known jellyfish has to a brain. Box jellyfish also display complex, probably visually guided behaviors such as obstacle avoidance and fast directional swimming. Tests have shown that they have a limited memory, and have a limited ability to learn.

HYDROZOA
Hydrozoa (hydrozoans) are very small, predatory animals, some solitary and some colonial, most living in saltwater. The colonies of the colonial species can be large, and in some cases the specialized individual animals cannot survive outside the colony. A few genera within this class live in freshwater. Most hydrozoans alternate between a polyp and a medusa stage they spend part of their lives as "jellyfish" which are hard to distinguish from scyphozoan jellyfish. A great many hydrozoans are also colonial. Some form delicate branched colonies, while others, known as "fire corals," form massive colonies that resemble true corals. Other hydrozoans have developed pelagic (floating) colonies that are often confused with jellyfish, but unlike jellyfish they are composed of many individuals, all specialized for various functions. The "Portuguese mano'war" and "by-the-wind-sailors" that often wash up on beaches are examples of these unusual colonial hydrozoans. The most widely known and researched freshwater hydrozoan is Hydra, which is found in slow-moving waters.

MEDICALLY IMPORTANT MEMBERS OF PHYLUM CNIDARIA

Sea Anemone and Multiple Sclerosis

as a cure to multiple sclerosis. Sea anemones use venom to stun their prey, but one component of that venom halts--and may reverse--the paralysis seen in an experimental form of multiple sclerosis. The researchers found ShK (component of the Carribean sea anemone venom) blocks the Kv1.3 potassium channel located in white blood cells, known as Tcells, which are known to produce nerve damage in MS, one of the most common and debilitating diseases of the nervous system.

Sea Anemone and Obesity

A synthetic compound, called ShK-186, originally derived from the toxin of the sea anemone Stichodactyla helianthus shows potential as a treatment for obesity and insulin resistance. In tests on obese mice that ate a high-fat, high-sugar diet, ShK-186 therapy reduced weight gain, white fat deposits, fatty liver, blood cholesterol and blood sugar by activating calorie-burning brown fat, suppressing inflammation of white fat and augmenting liver function.

Jellyfish and Genetics

The luminescence that they produce for instance (the green fluorescent protein gene in crystal jellyfish specifically is responsible) is often used as a 'biomarker' or 'biotag' to allow scientists to identify the activation of genes. They have been used to create glowing cats, mice and other animals. Luminescent cats most recently have been used to research a potential cure to AIDS. This has additionally allowed scientists to see inside living cells and this has helped to revolutionize medicine and our understanding of our cells.

And finally the paralyzing aspects of jellyfish venom it is hoped may help us to unlock the keys to the human cardiovascular system.

Jellyfish as food
Calcium
Jellyfishes contain a lot of calcium binding proteins which improve memory and help to fight age related cognitive decline. In one study 56 participants were put on a jellyfish diet and it was found that 57% of them experienced memory improvements. Normally our brain produces calcium binding proteins of its own, but as we get older these reduce in number. This is a problem as the proteins are used in order to regulate the amount of calcium in the brain cells and this can then slow down various brain functions.

Jellyfish as food
Collagen
Dried jellyfish contains collagen which may be helpful for the treatment of arthritis and visible signs of aging once again.