New New

ZO 350
LABORATORY 2
Phylum Cnidaria and Phylum Ctenophora
PART1: Phylum Cnidaria

LEARNING OBJECTIVES: 1) Describe the key features of Cnidaria; 2) List the main features of the 3
classes covered in lab; 3) Identify nematocysts and describe their function; 4) Identify the anatomical features of
Hydra, Obelia, and Metridium; 5) Identify major life stages of Cnidaria
ACTIVITY 1: CLASS HYDROZOA- HYDRA

Hydra are solitary hydrozoans and fascinating predators commonly found in fresh bodies of water.
Q1: Examine a stained Hydra slide. Insert a picture and label the following: ectoderm, endoderm, tentacle,
gastrovascular cavity, hypostome, mouth, bud, ovaries/testes, basal disk, and cnidocils.
Q2: Some cnidarians are “dimorphic”. What does this term mean (in your own words)?
Q3: What is meant by the term “polymorphism” (in your own words)? Is Hydra polymorphic?
Q4: Describe and contrast sexual and asexual reproduction in Hydra.
ACTIVITY 2: CLASS HYDROZOA- HYDRA Feeding

Carefully using a pipette, retrieve a live Hydra in culture water and place into a small watch glass. Observe
Hydra under the dissecting scope as it acclimates to its new surroundings.
After observing, you will now feed your Hydra. Add a drop of water containing Artemia (brine shrimp) to the
watch glass containing the Hydra.
Q5: Spend several minutes observing the Hydra feeding. Insert a picture.
Q6: How does Hydra capture its prey?
Q7: Does the prey struggle to escape?
Q8: When does the prey stop moving - before or after it is engulfed?
ACTIVITY 3: CLASS HYDROZOA - OBELIA
Obelia is a colonial marine hydrozoan.
Q9: Examine a stained Obelia slide as well as a live sample of Obelia. Insert photos of both the slide and live
sample and label the following on whichever image has the best view of each: tentacles, hydranth,
gonangium, medusa buds, gonopore, hypostome, and mouth.
Q10: What are the functions of the different cup structures observed on Obelia?
ACTIVITY 4: CLASS SCYPHOZOA - CASSIOPEIA

Observe the mangrove jellies (Cassiopeia) in the tank on the back lab counter.
Q11: Describe the unique characteristic of this scyphozoan and hypothesize as to why they exhibit this trait.
Q12: After writing your hypothesis, use the internet to research Cassiopeia. In 2 or 3 sentences, describe how
these organisms live (in your own words).
Q13: What single anatomical feature (presence or absence of) distinguishes hydromedusae from
scyphomedusae?
ACTIVITY 5: NEMATOCYSTS
Watch the 3 videos in order and answer the following questions.
VIDEO - Nematocyst Animation
VIDEO - Metridium Nematocyst Firing
VIDEO - Nematocysts Firing (Watch it uncoil at 0.57 sec)
Q14: What is the function of nematocysts?
Q15: On the image below label the following: cnidocyte, cnidocil, operculum, undischarged nematocyst,
discharged nematocyst, barb, and filament.
OPTIONAL: If interested, you may (with TA assistance) remove a portion of a tentacle from an Aiptasia
specimen and attempt to get the nematocysts to fire as you observe it under the microscope.
ACTIVITY 6: CLASS ANTHOZOA - SHRINKING ANEMONE EXPERIMENT

Nematocysts are one way that Cnidarians defend themselves. Anthozoans (sea anemones and corals) lack a
medusa stage and are mostly sessile. In addition to nematocysts, they can use contraction as a defensive
strategy.
In this experiment you will measure how much Aiptasia, an aquarium pest anemone, is able to shrink when
threatened.
Observe the Aiptasia housed in the tank on your lab table.

1. Identify one Aiptasia that is fully opened with tentacles that are suspended.
2. Use a ruler to measure the height of the Aiptasia, from the base of the Aiptasia to the tip of the longest
tentacle. DO NOT touch the Aiptasia (or get too close) with the ruler since it will cause the Aiptasia to
shrink while trying to get your initial measurement. You will need to estimate slightly. Record this
measurement in mm.
3. After taking your initial measurement, lightly touch the Aiptasia’s tentacles. Make sure your hands are
thoroughly washed and rinsed. You can touch the anemone - it will not hurt you. You can also touch the
anemone with a clean probe if you would prefer. Observe the anemone’s ability to shrink.
4. Measure the height of the Aiptasia after contraction, record this in mm.
Q16: Fill out the table below.

Shrinking Aiptasia Data Collection
Initial height of Aiptasia Height of Aiptasia after How much did the Aiptasia What percentage did the Aiptasia
(mm) shrinking (mm) shrink (mm)? shrink (%)?
[Amount of shrinkage / Initial height x 100%]
Q17: In one or two sentences, describe what you learned about sea anemones during this experiment.
ACTIVITY 7: CLASS ANTHOZOA - METRIDIUM DISSECTION

Q18: Examine the images of the whole and dissected sea anemone. Label the following: tentacles, oral disc,
pedal disc, pharynx, and acontia threads.
Q19: What are acontia threads and what are their function?
ACTIVITY 8: CLASS ANTHOZOA - DISSOLVING CORAL
Start this activity early during the lab so that the coral can soak in the vinegar while you complete other
activities.
Corals are colonial marine anthozoans composed of many individual polyps. There are both soft types of corals
(sea fans, sea anemones, etc.) and hard corals (brain coral, staghorn coral, etc.). The skeleton that makes the
corals hard (also known as stony corals) is composed of calcium carbonate secreted by the individual polyps.
Ocean acidification is a growing global concern. As humans increasingly burn fossil fuels and change land use,
the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere and subsequently the ocean increases. Through chemical reactions,
scientists have studied and continue to research the far-reaching effects of ocean acidification on marine life.
Visit https://ocean.si.edu/ocean-life/invertebrates/ocean-acidification to learn more.
Q20: Use a dissecting scope to examine a piece of coral skeleton. Insert a picture and label the following:
corallite, sclerosepta (septa), and columella.
Q21: Place the coral skeleton into the plastic specimen container with a blue lid. Pour enough vinegar to
completely cover the coral skeleton and secure the lid on the container. Leave the coral skeleton in the container
for the entire duration of the lab. Before you leave the lab, remove the coral skeleton and examine it with a
dissecting scope. Include a picture and describe any changes you observe. (If you are interested, put the piece of
coral back in the container of vinegar and take it home with you. Observe what happens over time to the piece
of coral skeleton.)
Q22: This activity is a simplified demonstration of ocean acidification. In 2 or 3 sentences, explain how ocean
acidification affects corals.
ACTIVITY 9: REVIEW CNIDARIAN CLASSES
Q23: Determine the Class of each cnidarian pictured below. Fill in the table below the images by listing the
Class of each and the defining characteristics that place the animal in that Class.
Image # Class Defining Characteristics
PART2: Phylum Ctenophora

LEARNING OBJECTIVES: 1) Describe the key features of Ctenophora; 2) Describe the main differences
between cnidarians and ctenophores
***Ctenophores are not readily available this early in the year (water is too cold). We will learn about
ctenophores now and during Lab 10 - Birds and Mammals we will observe live ctenophores (it’s worth
the wait!).
ACTIVITY 1: OBSERVE CTENOPHORES

VIDEO - Ctenophore Iridescence
VIDEO - Ctenophore Bioluminescence (Skip ahead to 58 seconds)
Q24: On the image below, label the following: mesoglea, comb row, and ctene/comb.
Q25: What are the comb rows made out of and what is their function?
Q26: What is a colloblast and what is its function?
Q27: What are two differences that separate cnidarians and ctenophores?

New New

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

New New

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

New New

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

ZO 350

PART1: Phylum Cnidaria

ACTIVITY 1: CLASS HYDROZOA- HYDRA

Q4: Describe and contrast sexual and asexual reproduction in Hydra.

ACTIVITY 2: CLASS HYDROZOA- HYDRA Feeding

Q6: How does Hydra capture its prey?

Q7: Does the prey struggle to escape?

ACTIVITY 4: CLASS SCYPHOZOA - CASSIOPEIA

Q14: What is the function of nematocysts?

ACTIVITY 6: CLASS ANTHOZOA - SHRINKING ANEMONE EXPERIMENT

Observe the Aiptasia housed in the tank on your lab table.

Q16: Fill out the table below.

ACTIVITY 7: CLASS ANTHOZOA - METRIDIUM DISSECTION

PART2: Phylum Ctenophora

ACTIVITY 1: OBSERVE CTENOPHORES

Q26: What is a colloblast and what is its function?

You might also like