Echinoderms

WHAT IS AN ECHINODERM?An echinoderm is an animal that usually lives under the ocean. They are usually two sided and have a mouth. The side with their mouth is called the oral

surface, the opposite side is called the aboral surface.

WHAT ARE COMMON CHARACTERISTICS OF

ECHINODERMS?

• Echinoderms are characterized by spiny skin, an internal skeleton, a water vascular system, and suction cuplike structures called tube feet.

WHAT ARE THE GROUPS OF ECHINODERMS?

The groups of echinoderms are:

• Sea Urchins and Sand Dollars

• Brittle Stars

• Sea Cucumbers

• Sea Stars

Ecology of Echinoderms• Echinoderms are

common in a variety of marine habitats. Sea urchins help control the number of other organisms such as clams and corals. There are also threatening echinoderms. One example is a sea star called the crown-of-thorns. It is named after its row of poisonous spines.

Works Cited

• Information:• Miller, Kenneth R., and Joseph S. Levine. Prentice Hall Biology. Upper Saddle River,

N.J.: Prentice Hall, 2002. Print.

• Photos: Page 1: TARIK TINAZAY. Hundereds of colourful - poisonous spine. Agence France

Presse. 18 Nov. 2005. eLibrary. Web. 10 Mar. 2010. Page 2:  Starfish (with Yellow Polyps). 2007. Photograph. Prix Online.

<http://www.pirx.com/gallery/albums/echinoderms/starfish01.jpg>

Page 3: Brittle Sea Star. 2007. Photograph. Prix Online.

<http://www.pirx.com/gallery/albums/echinoderms/bstar05.jpg> Page 4: Wright, Matt. CrownofThornsStarfish_Fiji_2005-10-12. 2005. Photograph.

Wikipedia, Qamea Island. Wikipedia Online. Wikipedia, 12 Oct. 2005. Web. 25 Mar. 2010. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:CrownofThornsStarfish_Fiji_2005-10-12.jpg>.