Phylum-Cnidaria  Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Cnidaria Classes: Hydrozoa, Scyphozoa, and Anthozoa Defining Characteristics:
Creatures in Phylum:
Cnidaria take on two basic forms: a polyp and a "Medusa". The Polyp incorporates sea anemones and the "Medusa" includes the jellyfish. Cnidaria are live mainly in the oceans; however, there are some variations of jellyfish that are able to live in fresh water. One area where these jellyfish live is in a lake on Palau and are not carnivores, unlike most of there counterparts. Cnidaria are some of the oldest fossils found, some in rocks that are dated to about 580 million years ago. It is extremely rare to find one of these fossils, since the cnidaria do not form mineralized structures. It is believed that their close relatives are sponges, since they really not all to different in structure. They are very easily damaged by people who are not careful when dealing with them. However, despite this fact, ecosystems where these exist are home to an enormous variety of other creatures. For instance, sea anemones are home to creatures like the clown fish. The ideal temperature range for these creatures in 23-29 degrees Celsius or 73-83 degrees Fahrenheit. However, from personal experience, some of these creatures can live in lower water temperatures. |
