Phylum Cnidaria

Habitat: Freshwater

As in most cnidarians, there are two layers: an outer epidermis and an inner gastrodermis. The mesoglea lies b/w the 2 cellular layers. The cnidocytes are located on the tentacles, each contain a nematocyst. This freshwated hydrozoan lacks a medusoid form.

Habitat: Found attached to algae, mussels, or rocks in the low intertidal zone (marine).

Plumes 5-8cm high, usually arranged in clusters. Main stem with many hydrocladia (branches) that are joined with each "joint" having a hydrath. Feeding polyps small, usually protected by exoskeletal cups called hydrothecae.

Habitat: Cosmopolitan species found from low intertidal to subtidal attached to hard substrates attached to hard substrates.

Anatomy: Polymorphic contains both gastro and gonozooids.

Common member of "fouling" community. Found on docks and pilings in calm marinas. These individuals will lend a furry and bushy appearance to submerged objects they have settled on.

"Portuguese Man of War"

Habitat: Pelagic colonies found off gulf coasts and atlantic coasts of North America but not Pacific Coasts. Found on Western side of Pacific Ocean (east coast of Australia).

Habitat: Widely distributed coastal waters in all oceans (marine)

Ephyra Stage

Liberated disc "from strobula" that is young medusa. The symmetry of adult is laid down. 8 pairs of lappets, manubrium, and mouth is visible.

Scyphistoma Stage:

This stage feeds during summer and fall and produces new scyphostomes by budding. This stage arises from planula larva. In winter, it undergoes strobilization to produce pile of disks (soon to become released ephyra).

Habitat: Found attached to submerged object in a bay or harbor with a swift current (marine).

Perisarc covers entire stem, but does not continue into hydrath (gastrozooid). Hydrath has 2 circles of tentatcles (outer ring has aboral tentacles, inner ring has oral tentacles). Many gonophores grow on surface of hydranth body (hydranths are dioecious)

Habitat: Common on sandflats, low intertidal, and adjacent subtidal areas (marine) **Collected daily**

Sea Pansy The heart shaped purple disk, called rachis, has a fleshy peduncle that anchors the animal in the sand. The colony, made up of many polyps, is capable of luminescing when stimulated. Prey on by nudibranchs and sand stars.

Habitat: Planktonic (marine)

Comb Jelly Body with 8 rows of ciliated plates, called comb rows made up with ctenes, which are used for locomotion. Ctenophores are the largest animals to use cilia for locomotion. A statocyst aids in orientation A voracious, gelatinous predator feeds mostly on other ctenophores, other Beroes, and salps by swallowing its prey whole.

Habitat: found on rocks, wharf pilings, and other man-made structures in the low intertidal and subtidal.

Acontia can be forced out through the mouth and weak spots in the body wall to attack other anemones such as Anthopleura elegantissima. Metridium can asexually reproduce through pedal laceration. Pedal laceration refers to when an anemone moves around breaking off pieces of pedal disk that can develop into tiny anemones. In dense clones of metridium, animals on the broader often develop “catch: tentacles which are loaded with nematocysts and can stretch 12cm or more to explore their surroundings. What do you think is the purpose of these tentacles?

Habitat: Attached to rocks in depth of 24-30m (marine) **collected daily**

Purple Gorgonian Sea fan with slender purple/violet branches with white polyps. The branches form an interwoven pattern in one plane.

Habitat: In depths of about 15-60m attached to rocks (marine) **collected daily**

Red Gorgonian Sea fan with red branches and white polyps. Branches are not in a single plane. An ovulid snail lives and feeds on the branches of this gorgonian.

Habitat: Found on rocks and hard substrates subtidally from 12-30m.

Muricea generally orient at right angles to the flow to filter water and capture particles. As colonies grow, they form annual growth rings in their skeletons. The colony is mainly supported by an internal axial skeleton of gorgonin. Soft tissues of the skeleton are impregnated by spicules.

Habitat: Found on rocks and other hard substrates in the intertidal.

Colonial or solitary Wart-like tubercles on the body column are adhesive structures to which pebbles and shell fragments attach helping to reduce desiccation and provide protection from solar radiation. Acrorhagi, located under the feeding tentacles, are loaded with nematocysts. When Anthopleuera senses another anemone, it will extend the acrorhagi to do "battle" with the invading anemone. In colonies of clones, the anemones on the borders have larger acrorhagi and are called warriors.

Habitat: Found on or under rocks from the intertidal to 10m depth.

Only true coral that lives intertidally on the California coast Bears no endosymbiotic algae in its tissues. Can trap food on tentacles or directly on the mesenteries when the mouth opens widely.

Habitat: On shaded rocks and ledges in the low intertidal to 30m depth.

Lack a calcareous skeleton The feeding tentacles have bulbous tips that contain very large nematocysts. When attacked by another anemone, the mesenteries can be extended through the mouth and have extra nematocysts to help repel the attack.