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Cnidaria Hatschek, 1888
CORALS; HYDROIDS; JELLYFISH; SEA ANEMONES
Life   Cnidaria

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Acropora palmata, adult
© Jim Porter, University of Georgia, 2005-2007 · 1
Acropora palmata, adult
Acropora palmata, juvenile
© Jim Porter, University of Georgia, 2005-2007 · 1
Acropora palmata, juvenile

Aurelia
© John Pickering, 2004-2023 · 0
Aurelia
Porpita porpita, Blue button, from NOAAs Ocean Explorer
© Public Domain · 0
Porpita porpita, Blue button, from NOAAs Ocean Explorer

Sea anemones at the aquarium in Bristol Zoo, Bristol, England
© Public Domain · 0
Sea anemones at the aquarium in Bristol Zoo, Bristol, England
IDnature guide
Kinds

Overview The aquatic Phylum Cnidaria includes coral, hydra, jellyfish, and anemones. Cnidarians occur in two very different body forms, the medusa form and the polyp form. The typical jellyfish is often found in its medusae form. They usually occur in bell-shaped bodies lacking a true head and organs, but they are able to swim or float freely. Cnidarians in the polyp form include coral, hydra, and anemones. Polyps are sessile creatures meaning they are permanently attached to substrate and feed only when prey flows through their tubular bodies. Most cnidarian creatures have a life cycle that alternates between the sexually reproductive medusa stage and the asexual polyp stage, however some cnidarian classes occur in only one of the two stages.

Kinds
Corals
Acropora palmata, juvenile
Sea anemones
Sea anemone
Jellyfish
Chrysaora quinquecirrha
Hydras
Porpita porpita
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Phylogeny
Tree of Life web project

Links to other sites

Acknowledgements

I thank John Pickering and Rosemary Kim for their assistance with the development of this page.

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