Zoology 250

Clade for Phylum CNIDARIA

Revised clade from Tree of Life for Kingdom Animalia 

PHYLUM CNIDARIA (tree for classes from Ruppert/Barnes'94)

              ===4*============================= Anthozoa (anemones, corals, etc.)
        ==3*==|
        |     ===5*============================= Scyphozoa (jellyfish)
<<=1*===|
        ==2*==================================== Hydrozoa (hydroids, etc.)
* Traits supporting each clade:
1: a) nematocysts & cnidocytes, b) diploblastic & radial symmetry (plesiomorphic)
2: a) mesoglea lacks cells, b) gastrodermis lacks cnidocytes, c) gonads epidermal, d) gastrovascular cavity simple, e) simple manubrium in medusa stage
3: a) mesoglea contains cells, b) gastrodermal cnidocytes, c) gastrodermal gonads, d) septate gastrovascular cavity
4: a) nematocysts lack operculum, b) medusa stage absent
5: a) medusa stage dominant, b) highly developed manubrium

Back to Zool 250 version of tree for animal phyla

Back to Zool 250 Home Page

Copyright © 1997 by A. Richard Palmer. All rights reserved. (revised Jan. 16, 1997)