The planula is a ciliated larval stage in many cnidarian life cycles. It swims for a period and then settles to form a polyp in suitable conditions. This MCQ belongs to the Cnidaria topic in Animal Diversity-I and is written to test concept understanding rather than memorized wording.
Correct Answer: D. corals secrete calcium carbonate skeletons
Explanation:
Many corals secrete calcium carbonate skeletons that build coral reefs over time. This ecological role makes cnidarians important in marine habitats. This MCQ belongs to the Cnidaria topic in Animal Diversity-I and is written to test concept understanding rather than memorized wording.
Ctenophores use colloblasts, adhesive cells that help capture prey. Unlike cnidarians, they generally lack cnidocytes and nematocysts. This MCQ belongs to the Ctenophora topic in Animal Diversity-I and is written to test concept understanding rather than memorized wording.
Ctenophores are called comb jellies because they possess comb plates, or ctenes, made of fused cilia used in locomotion. This MCQ belongs to the Ctenophora topic in Animal Diversity-I and is written to test concept understanding rather than memorized wording.
Cnidarians have a nerve net, a diffuse nervous arrangement suitable for radial animals. It coordinates simple movements and responses without forming a centralized brain. This MCQ belongs to the Cnidaria topic in Animal Diversity-I and is written to test concept understanding rather than memorized wording.
Cnidarians are diploblastic animals because they develop from two germ layers. The mesoglea lies between epidermis and gastrodermis but is not a true mesodermal layer. This MCQ belongs to the Cnidaria topic in Animal Diversity-I and is written to test concept understanding rather than memorized wording.
Metagenesis is alternation of generations between polyp and medusa phases in some cnidarians. Obelia is a standard example used to explain this life-cycle pattern. This MCQ belongs to the Cnidaria topic in Animal Diversity-I and is written to test concept understanding rather than memorized wording.
The medusa is the free-swimming cnidarian form. It is bell- or umbrella-shaped and is prominent in many jellyfish life cycles. This MCQ belongs to the Cnidaria topic in Animal Diversity-I and is written to test concept understanding rather than memorized wording.
The polyp is the sessile cnidarian body form, typically cylindrical with the mouth and tentacles facing upward. Hydra and sea anemones are common examples. This MCQ belongs to the Cnidaria topic in Animal Diversity-I and is written to test concept understanding rather than memorized wording.
Cnidarians possess a gastrovascular cavity with one opening. It functions in digestion and distribution of nutrients, but it is not a complete digestive tract. This MCQ belongs to the Cnidaria topic in Animal Diversity-I and is written to test concept understanding rather than memorized wording.
A nematocyst is the stinging capsule within a cnidocyte. Its rapid discharge helps immobilize prey and is one of the diagnostic features of phylum Cnidaria. This MCQ belongs to the Cnidaria topic in Animal Diversity-I and is written to test concept understanding rather than memorized wording.
Cnidocytes are stinging cells unique to cnidarians. They contain nematocysts that discharge to capture prey, defend the animal, or attach to surfaces. This MCQ belongs to the Cnidaria topic in Animal Diversity-I and is written to test concept understanding rather than memorized wording.