LOWER INVERTEBRATES COMPARATIVE

S.N. CHARACTERS PROTOZOA PORIFERA COELENTERATA CTENOPHORA PLATYHELMINTHES NEMETHELMINTHES

1 Habit & Habitats F.w. , parasite , solitory/ marine/few F.w., solitory/ marine/F.w., solitory/colonial, sessile/ marine, solitory, free parasitic or free living and solitory parasitic or free living and solitory
colonial, colonial, sessile/sendentary sendentary/ free swimming swimming

2 Level of body Protoplasmic cellular cell-Tissue\Tissue Tissue level Tissue-organ\organ level organ sys-level
organisation
3 Body plan Acellular Cell agregated Blind Sac Blind Sac Blind Sac Tube within tube
& porous
4 Symmetry Mostly asymmetrical asymmetrical/ Radial symmetry Biradial Bilateral Bilateral
some spherically radially symmetrical symmetry
Symmetrical
5 Germ layers Net applicable Diploblastic Diploblastic Diploblastic Triploblastic Triploblastic
1. Pinacoderm 1. Ectodermis 1. Ectodermis
2. Mesenchyme 2. Mesoglea 2. Mesoglea with muscle
(Skeleton, amobocyes) (non-cellular gelatinous) (muscle fibres
3. Choanoderm fibre in mesoglea of Anthozoa ) 3. Gastrodermis
3. Endodermis

6 Body shape & Acellular, Vas shaped & Cylindrical & Spherical, possess oral & * Dorso-ventrally * Elongated, rounded
Characteristic asymmetric & porous vas shaped aboral pore flattened & solid body (no cavity) body
features microscopic * Polymorphism * Bioluminiscence *Pseudome-tamerism
1. Polyp - asexual, sedentary, has * 8 vertical comb plates only in cestoda
Zooids-hydracanth, gonozooid * Cnidoblast
2. medusa - sexual, free swimming replaced by
* metagenesis /alternation of colloblast for adhesion
generation

7 Fate of N/A N/A N/A N/A protostomia protostomia

blastopore
8 Coelom N/A N/A N/A N/A Acoelomate Pseudocoelomate
9 Skeleton proteinacious Pellicle, Calcareous / silicious Perisarc (chitin) Not present cuticle, chitinous hooks cuticle
Calcreous shell in few spicules or spongin fibres calcareous skeleton
(radiollarian) in anthozon -
corals
corallite
corallium
coral reef -
1. Atoll
2. Fringing
3. barrier

10 Body Wall General body General body General body General body Cuticle, epidermis Cuticle, syncytial epidermis,
surface\ surface\ surface\ surface\ (may be sensitional) Longitudinal
plasmalemma plasmalemma plasmalemma plasmalemma longititudinal, circular & oblique muscles muscles
11 Locomotion * absent in symbiotic Absent Hydra & Medusa Tentacles Absent Absent
& parasitic forms by tentacles
* If present then by
pseudopodia, cilia or
flagella

12 Disgestive system autotrophic * Holozoic Carnivorous, * Filter feeder Endoparasitic * Endoparasitic

(Euglena), Saprophytic * Intracellular holozoic * digestion Inter cellular * Nominal * Digestive sys
Holozoic * 1. Choanocyte - * Digestion is Degestion complete
* Intra cellular capture & digestion Intercellular in * Incomplete digestive sys (anus absent)
Digestion 2. Trophocyte - transport coelenterone
* Some are 3. Thesocyte - Storage or paragastric
ciliary filter Supported by water cavity
feeder vascular system * Food particles
(e.g.)Paramoecium captured by
Nutritive cell flegella
* Now diestion intracellular

13 Gaseous Exchange Through General Through General Through General Through General Due to anaerobic Due to anaerobic
Body surface Body surface Body surface Body surface respiration no respiration no
by diffusion by diffusion by diffusion by diffusion Gaseous exchange Gaseous exchange
14 Vascular system cyclosis water vascular water vasular water vascular Paranchymatous Absent
system - Ascon , system system vasular system
Sycon, Leukon ,
Rhagon Type

15 Excretory sys. Ammonotelic through Ammonotelic through General Ammonotelic through General body Ammonotelic through Ammonotelic by flame cells Ureotelic/Ammonotelic by Rennet cell
General body surface body surface surface General body surface
16 Sensory sys. Sensation and Sensation and General body statocyst, Ocelli Eye spot in some Amphids (Anterior) , phasmid (Posterior) ,
Excitation by Excitation by surface, statocyst, Rhopalium larval stage &
plasma membrane plasma membrane (2 Olfactory lip + 1 statacyst + 2 planarians
ocelli
17 Nervous sys. N/A N/A Diffused nerve net, Diffused nerve net, Solid, nerve chord more than one pair, Solid, nerve chord more than one pair,
Ganglia absent Ganglia absent Ganglia & Neves Ganglia & Neves

(i) Asexual Fission, spore Budding, gemmule Fission, Budding, Absent Regeneration Regeneration
formation, autogamy, formation Fragmentation,
syngamy, conjugation Fragmentation Regeneration
Regeneration

(ii) Sexual Absent but represented * Gonads absent gametes * Gonads-Ectodermal or gastrodernal * Hermaphrodite * Monoecious Dioecious Dimorphic
as conjugation & arise from archaeocytes *Medusa-sexual i.e. Dioecious * Fertilisation ext & cross * Fertilisation-internal, self or cross *Male has chitinous pineal setae as
syngamy * Monoecious , protandrous/ * Fertilisation Ext rarely internal * Muscular cirrus as copulatory organ copulatory organ
protogynous, Internal & (Hydra) and cross *Internal & cross fertilisation
Cross fertilisation
20 Development Not applicable leukosolenia-parencymula & Planula * Cyddipid larva * Fasiola – * Rabitiform larva
Amphiblastuta * planula scyphistoma 1. miracidium
ephyra 2. sporocyst
3. redia
4. cercaria
5. metacercaria
* Taenia
1. hexacanth
2. oncosphere
3. cysticircus
 CHORDATES COMPARATIVE CHARACTERS
S.N.
CHARACTERS UROCHORDATAEPHALOCHORODAT CYLOSTOMATA CHONDRICHTHYES OSTEICHTHYES AMPHIBIA REPTILIA AVES MAMMALIA
1 Habit & Habita Marine, solitary, Marine, Solitary, Marine\fresh water Marine, solitary Marine\fresh water Aquatic as well Terrestrial, Terrestrial Terrestrial
sessile free Ectoparasite on bony as Terrestrial Marine some aquatic
swimming fishes
2 Notochord Only in larval from cephalic notochord with notochord Notocord
tail but in adult region to posterior rudimentary tubular, true completely
it gets region vertebrae vertebrae changes into do do do do
degenerated vertebral
column
3 Animal Deutrostomian, Deutrostomian, Deutrostomian, Deutrostomian, Deutrostomian, Deutrostomian Deutrostomian, Deutrostomian, Deutrostomia
Features Enterocoelomate Enterocoelomate, Enterocoelomate, Enterocoelomate, Enterocoelomate, , Enterocoelomat Enterocoelomate, n,
, Organ sys lavel, Organ sys lavel, tube Organ sys lavel, Organ sys lavel, Enterocoeloma e, Organ sys lavel, Enterocoelo
Organ sys lavel, tube within tube within tube body plan tube tube te, Organ sys lavel, tube mate,
tube within tube body plan triploblastic, within tube body within tube body Organ sys tube within tube body Organ sys
body plan triploblastic, bilateral symmertial plan plan lavel, tube within tube plan lavel, tube
triploblastic, bilateral triploblastic, triploblastic, within tube body plan triploblastic, within tube
bilateral symmertial bilateral bilateral body plan triploblastic, bilateral body plan
symmertial symmertial symmertial triploblastic, bilateral symmertial triploblastic,
bilateral symmertial bilateral
4 Body Sac-like having Elongated, Eel-like elongated Elongated, laterally Laterally symmertial Head, Neck, Head, Neck, Trunk, symmertial
Head, Neck,
Head Trunk &
shpe/division branchiopore & Flattened with Jaw absent or dorso vertrally compressed Tail Tail, Trunk Tail Tail Trunk, Tail
Atriopore Rostrum compressed, Tail Homocercal In Frog tail
Heterocercal absent.
5 Body wall & Body wall Body wall with Skin without scales Skin with placeoid Skin with many Glandular and Dried & Skin without gland Skin covered
Exoskeleton covered epidermis & scales types of scales Moist skin cornified skin, except preen gland, by hair
by test or tunic muscularture with out Scales, claws, scales on legs, (rarely by
(tunicin) (myotome) exoskeleton shield, Scutes digits with claw, fur), horn
Test contain or carapase as skin covered by hoof, claw,
Vanedocytes exoskeleton feathers : nail (in few)
corpuscles, Remiges (wing scales (in
vessels, nerves, feather), Rectrises some)
spicules, broken (Tail feather),
molusc shells Down, contour,
Filopumes (body
covering )
6 Endoskeleton Not Applicable Notochord Rudimentary Cartilagenous Bony, Girdle Bony, tetrapod Bony, Tetrapod, Pneumatic Bones Tetrabod &
vertebrae, Skeletal Girdle Present Present & Pentadactyl, Pentadctyl & Pentadactyl & digits Pentadactyl,
Skull digits with with claw, Skull Digits with
monocondylic claw, Skull monocondylic claw/Nails/in
monocondylic the form of
Flipper,
Skull
di d li
7 Locomotion Absent Median and caudal Median & caudal fin Unpaird fin (1st unpaired fin One pair fore One pair fore Fore limb modified Quadrapedal
Dorsal, 2nd Dorsal (1-dorsal, 1 caudal limb (4 digits) limb & one pair into wing with the one pair fore
& caudal fin) Paired & 1-ventral/anal) & one pair hind limb, each help of remiges, limb, one
fins (one pair paired fin (1 pair hind (5 digit) with 5 digits Hind limb covered pair hind
pectoral & one pair pectoral+1 pair by scales-Digit 5 limb
pelvic) pelvic) with claw for
perching
8 Digestive Helozoic, Filter Holozoic mouth Rounded & Suctorial Mouth ventral, Mouth mentral & Mouth with Teeth Mouth prolonged Teeth
System feeder, mouth as with wheel organ, mouth with dentine, teeth acrodont & terminal with acrodont and pluerodont into beak (bill), heterodont
branchial Atrial cavity with jaw absent, intestine homodont, acrodont & homodont homodont, teeth absent, thecodont,
apperature, atriopore, anus straight without toungue present, homodont teeth & maxillary tongue, liver, tongue, crop, tongue
endostyle, atrial present stomach, cloaca intestine with scrol tongue, intestine teeth, pancrease, intestines, liver, stomach,
apparature as present value or spiral terminate in anus vomerine Salivary gland pancrease & cloaca salivary
anus, value, cloaca teeth present, & cloaca present gland, liver,
hapato-pancreat present Tongue may present pancrease,
e present protrusible, anus present
stomach
intestine, liver,
pancrease,
cloaca present
9 Respiratory by test/tunic, Through body wall 9-16 pair of 5-7 pair open gills, 4 pair gills 1 pair lungs, 1 pair lungs, 1 pair lungs 1 pair
System pheryngeal gills pharyngeal gill operculum only in covered by single trachae & larynx & associated with air compact
holocephalii operculum, air larynx, also by trachae +nt sacs for bouyancy, lungs, larynx
bladder in dipnoi skin & cloacal larynx posses with vocal
bucco-pharyna respiration. syrnyx for sound cords for
geal linning production or sound
chirping production.
10 Vascular System
Close Open Close Close Close Close Close Close Close
Blood Vascular Blood V. system Blood V. System Blood V.system Blood V.system Blood V. Sys. Blood v. sys. Blood v. sys. Blood V.sys
system heart heart absent Single single Heart double single Heart Hrt-3 Incompletely Completely 4 4-chambered
single Heart (1A+1V+SV+TA) Chambered & double chambered 4-chambered chambered heart hrt (2A + 2V),
chambered Double chambered, venous (1A + 1V + Chambered & (2A + 1V + TA) hrt (2A+1V) (2A + 2V), Systemic double
erythrocytes nucleated SV+TA), erythrocyte venous (1A + 1V + Renal & Hepatic & Renal & pulmonary circulation
& oval, thrombocytes nueleated & oval, SV+TA), hepatic portal portal System + circulation, Hepatic enthrocytes
+nt. Hepatic & Renal thrombocytes +nt. erythrocyte sys + nt nt portal sys +nt Renal enucleated &
portal sys +nt Hepatic & Renal nueleated & oval, erythrocytes-ov Partal Syste. biconcave,
portal sys +nt thrombocytes +nt. al nucleated Vestigeal, Thrombocyes
Hepatic & Renal Thrombocyes + Thromocyes + nt, in form of
portal sys +nt nt erythrocyte oval & platelate
nucleated Hepatic &
Hypophygeal
portal sys +nt
11 Excretion Ammonotelic by Ammonotelic Ammonotelic, 1 pair Ammonotelic, 1 fresh water Ureotelic, 1 Ureeotelic 1 Ureotelic Ureotelic, 1
Neural Gland many nephridia mesonephric kidney pair mesonephric teleoste release pair pair metanephric pair
each with many kidney trimethyl oxide mesopnephric metanephric kidney metanephric
solanocytes\Flame (oshisthonephric Amine, kidney kidney kidney
cells kidney) Maine Teleost are protonephric
12 Sensory Poorly Body wall 1 pair true eye, lateral 1 pair true eye, li b
1 pair two eye i1 pair
d two
l )eye, 1 pair eyes, int 1 pair true eye with One pair eye,
system developed line sys. internal ear, lateral internal ear, Internal Ear, ear, middle Ear, comb like pectin, internal ear
Membraneous line sys, Ampulla lateral line system columella +nt, Jacobson internal ear with 3 with 3 canals,
labyrinth with 2 of Lorynginae auris is bony organs +nt, semicircular canal, middle ear as
semicircular canal-i.e. with Tympnum + nt middle ear +nt bony ear
intemal ear Tympanum osicle
represent
13 Nervous systemDiffused Ganglia Nerve cord dorsal, Nerve cord forms Brain with 5 parts, Brain with 5 parts, Brain with 5 Brain with 5 Brain with 5 parts, Brain with 5
with nerves, hollow & tubular brain with 10 pair 10 pair cranial 10 pair cranial parts, 10 pair parts, 10 pair 10 pair cranial parts, 10 pair
Nerve cord cranial Nerves nerve nerves cranial nerves cranial nerves nerves cranial
degraded in nerves
14 Repro. Ad l
Hermaphrodite Dioecious, Dioecious, Dioecious, Dioecious & Dioecious, Dieocious, may Dioecious, Dieocious,
with Gonads Ferti-external Ferti-external, Dimorphic, male Monomorphis, Ferti-ext , be dimorphic, Monomorphic or Dimorphic,
anamniotes with double fertilization oviparous, male with dimorphic male with
clasper, external & cross, parental care hemipenis Fertilization single,
fertilization oviparous, seen, fertilization int internal, musular
internal, anamniotes anamniotes & cross, Egg-cleidoic megas penis, ferti
viviparaous, oviparous, egg & Disco lecithal internal
placenta + nt with cleidoic & Amniotes (Oestrus &
uterus, anamniotes mega-lecithal & menstral
Disco lecithal, cycle),
amniotes Viviparous,
Parantal care
peak in
primates
 HIGHER INVERTEBRATES COMPARATIVE CHARACTERS
S. N. CHARACTERS ANNELIDA
1 Habit & Habitats f.w/marine, terrestrial,
solitory
2 Level of body organ system level
organisation
3 Body plan tube within tube
4 Symmetry Bilateral
5 Germ layer Triploblastic
6 Coelom Eucoelomate
(schizocoelous Coelom)
7 Fate of protostomian
blastopore
8 Body shape & elongated, true
Characteristic metamerism (external as
9 fSkeleton
t ll
cuticle, isetae
t l)
10 Body Wall cuticle, epidermis,
musculature (c +l + o ),
coelomic fluid with
amoebocyte
11 Locomotion parapodia, setae or
muscles or suckers
12 Disgestine system Alimentary canal
complete, pharynx,
gizzard, stomoch,
intestine with typhlosole
13 Gaseous Exchange Body wall, parapodia,
external gills
14 Vascular system Open as well as closed
blood vascular system,
blood with haemoglobin
and leukocytes, heart
more than one or absent
ARTHROPODA MOLLUSCA ECHINODERMATA HEMICHORDATA
cosmopolitan marine, f.w or terrestrial marine, solitory marine, solitory
organ system level organ system level organ system level organ system level
tube within tube tube within tube tube within tube tube within tube
Bilateral Bilateral Bilateral and radial Bilateral
in adult
Triploblastic Triploblastic Triploblastic Triploblastic
Eucoelomate (schizocoelous Eucoelomate Eucoelomate Eucoelomate
Coelom) (schizocoelous Coelom) (enterocoelous Coelom) (enterocoelous
protostomian protostomian deuterostomian Coelom)
deuterostomian
Body divisible into head, Body divisible into head, pentamarous or radially Body divisible into
thorax, abdomen, truly and mantle, foot and visceral symmetrical proboscius, collar &
t ll may
chitinous, t showi ecdysis calcareous shell, tshow
d calcareous plates, spines tAbsent
k
torsion
chitinous sclerite, epidermis shell + mantle General body surface with single layered
(with oenocytes), musculature spines epithilium
jointed legs (four pair or three foot tube feet freely swimming
pair), two pair chitinous wing
Alimentary canal complete, Alimentary canal Alimentary canal Alimentary canal
mouth with chitinous complete, oesophagus complete, mouth, complete,
appendages or mouth parts, with rasping radula. stomoch, anus present
crop intestine Carnivorous
trachea, internal gills, book Internal gills, mantle, General body surface Pharyngeal gills
lungs, book gills pulmonary salc (water vascular system)
Open blood vascular system, Open blood vascular perihaemal vascular Open blood vascular
blood with haemocyanine or system, blood with system alongwith canal system
absent, heart single, tubular. haemocyanine, heart system, blood with
atrial & multichambered single and double haemocyanine, heart
chambered absent
15 Exiretory sys. Ammonotelic, ureotelic by Ammonotelic, uricotelic by Ammonotelic, ureotelic by Ammonotelic by general Ammonotelic by
Nephridia green gland or malpighian metanephric kidney body surface through probocious gland
by GBS tubules water vascular system
16 Sensory sys. Paired simple eyes, other Paired compound eye, true eye in some poorely developed body wall
receptores in body walls statocyst, antenna, antennule

17 Nervous sys. double ventral, solid double ventral, solid nerve Diffused nerve cord with Single nerve cord Single nerve cord
nerve cord with cerebral cord with cerebral and ganglia
and segmentle ganglia segmentle ganglia
18 Reproduction regeneration, paired dioecious, dimorphic, dioecious, fertilization Dioecious, fertilization Dioecious,
gonads, monoecious or fertilization external / internal, external external fertilization external
dioecious, fertilization oviparous,
external and cross
20 Development trochophore larva trochophore, nauplia, zooea trochophore, veliger, trochophore, bipinnaria trochophore, tornaria
larva [wrigler, caterpiller, glochidium larva larva larva
maggot, grub]