Echinoderms
Goals of the lab: to introduce general characteristics of the phylum Echinodermata to understand the embryological differences between protostomes and deuterostomes to observe initial stages of embryo development, using prepared slides of starfish embryos to examine external and internal features of the starfish, as a representative of the phylum Echinodermata Echinoderms
Phylum Echinodermata eumetazoan (true tissues) bilaterally symmetrical larvae; radially symmetrical adults eucoelomate deuterostome
Phylum Echinodermata Class Astroidae Class Ophiuroidae Class Echinoidae Class Holothuroidae Class Crinoidae Sea starsBrittle stars Crinoids Sea urchinsSea cucumbers
Phylum Echinodermata No circulatory system No respiratory system Excretion (N elimination) by diffusion Simple nervous system, no brain Water-vascular system
A Comparison of Early Development in Protostomes and Deuterostomes
Early Embryonic Development
Unfertilized egg Starfish Development 2 blastomeres After fertilization & 1st cleavage 4 blastomeres 2nd cleavage 8 blastomeres 3rd cleavage 16 blastomeres 4th cleavage 32 blastomeres 6th cleavag e, next slide 5th cleavage
Starfish Development (continued) 64 blastomeres Non-motile blastula Ciliated blastula * blastula is same size as unfertilized egg Gastrula: Beginning invagination blastopore Gastrula: During invagination Gastrula: Archenteron, no mesenchyme Next slide
Starfish Development (continued) Gastrula: Archenteron with mesenchyme Late gastrula: lateral view Early bipinnaria larva, lateral view Brachiolaria larvaYoung starfish Late bipinnaria larva, lateral view blastopore becomes anus 2nd opening becomes mouth
Sea urchin larvae: pluteus Starfish larvae: Bipinnaria Sea cucumber & Crinoid: doliolaria larvae Brittle star larvae: pluteus
Phylum Echinodermata Tube feet & associated plumbing Used for walking, clinging to substrate & holding food Water Vascular System
Starfish water vascular system
Class Echinoidea: sea urchins Echinometra mathaei Collector urchin Echinothrix calamaris
Class Echinoidea: sea urchins Diadema
Class Echinoidea: sea urchins Slate pencil urchin
Colobocentrotus atratus Class Echinoidea: sea urchins
Class Holothuroidea: Sea Cucumbers Holothuria atra Polyplectana kerfersteninii
Class Holothuroidea: Sea Cucumbers Pearlfish in seacucumber
Linckia sp. Class Asteroidea: Sea Stars Pin cushion
Class Asteroidea: Sea Stars starfish/acanthaster-planci/video-00.html
Class Ophiuroidea: Brittle Stars Ophiocoma erinaceus
Class Crinoidea: Feather Stars
Starfish Dissection: Schematic View
Starfish: Oral View MouthAmbulacral grooveSpines Tube feet
Starfish Dissection: Skeleton Removed: Aboral View Stone canalDigestive glandsGonadsPyloric stomach Cardiac stomach
Starfish Arm: Digestive Glands Removed Ambulacral PlatesAmpullaeCardiac Stomach Gonads