Cnidaria is one of the more primitive animal phyla. It includes aquatic organisms such as jellyfish, sea anemones, corals, and hydras. Most cnidarians are marine, although a few, such as the well-known hydra, are freshwater species.

Characteristics of Cnidarians

All cnidarians are characterized by radially symmetric body plans, rather than the bilaterally symmetric body plans that are found in most other animal phyla. Although cnidarians are more advanced than sponges (phylum Porifera) in that they possess distinct tissue layers, they lack many of the features of more advanced animal phyla, such as internal organs and central nervous systems. Most cnidarians possess tentacles, and many also have nematocysts (specialized stinging cells). Both are involved in feeding.

Cnidarians are characterized by the presence of three tissue layers, an outer protective epidermis, a middle layer called the mesoglea, and an inner layer called the gastrodermis, whose function is primarily digestive. The...