Teachers Paradise School Supplies Teacher Resources Free Encyclopedia
Teachers Paradise FREE Teaching Resources
Home Arts Crafts Audio Visual Equipment Office Supplies Teacher Resources
Main Page | Edit this page

Placozoa

The Placozoa are simple balloon-like marine animals with a body cavity filled with pressurized fluid. They have no organs, no mouth, and no digestive tract, and are characterized by hair-like cilia on both the upper and lower surfaces. They are one of very few groups of animals to lack a nervous system, although evidence suggests that they evolved from species with nerves. Eggs and sperm are produced but there are no sexual organs. Asexual reproduction also occurs. The only confirmed species is Trichoplax adhaerens, with no fossil record. Another species, Treptoplax reptans, was described in 1896 and has not been seen since, leading to doubts about its existence.

Placozoans have the smallest amount of DNA yet measured for any animal. Their native habitat is unknown: they were discovered on the walls of a lab aquarium in the 1880s, and have not been seen outside the laboratory environment.

External link




Pay for Educational Supplies & Teaching Supplies with Visa, Master Card, American Express, Discover or Paypal.
TeachersParadise.com HOME | Safe Shopping Guarantee | Help Desk
All trademarks & brands are the property of their respective owners.
Legal Notice 2000-2008 TeachersParadise.com, Inc. All Rights Reserved