Cnidaria

Objectives: After the discussion, you should be able to:

1. Describe and identify the characteristics of Cnidarians

2. Differentiate the 3 classes of Cnidaria
3. Identify the economic importance of Cnidarians in the ecosystem

- Greek word “cnidos” which means stinging nettle

- 2 distinct morphological body plans: polyp(sessile) and medusa(motile)
- 2 membrane layers in the body: epidermis(contains stinging cells) and
gastrodermis(lines the gut)
- They carry out extracellular digestion
- They only have one opening, the gastrovascular cavity
- The nerve cells are scattered across the body
- “Cnidocytes”(stinging cells”) contains organelle called “nematocyst”(stingers)
- Polyp(stalk) and Medusa(bell)

3 Classes of Cnidaria

Hydrozoa

- Mostly marine, some are freshwater

- Most Hydrozoans are polymorphic
- Colonial
- There’s a division of labor in the colony: Feeding polyps and reproductive polyps
 Hydra

Scyphozoa

- Medusa stage is dominant

- Larger than Hydrozoans
- An example is the jellyfish
- Unlike most Cnidarians, jellyfish have a nerve ring where the neurons connect to. It allows faster
conductions of impulses from one side of the body to the other
- The medusa releases sperm and egg cells directly onto water. The zygote will develop to a
planula larva which becomes a polyp
 Jellyfish

Anthozoa

- Lack medusa stage and exist exclusively in polyp form

- They release sperm and eggs that form a planula which attaches to a substrate where it gorws
- The tentacles of Anthozoans are hallow

Coral

Importance of Cnidarians

- Corals build some of the richest and most complex ecosystems on the planet, the coral reefs
- Cnidarians are also important to the food chain
- Scientists have discovered many chemical compounds in Cnidarians that can be used to treat
cancer and other illnesses

Report by: Aaron Buhawe, Daniel Sales, Quintin Soliman