Question Details

This group is commonly known as ‘sea stick’

Options

A

Porifera

B

Coelenterata

C

Arthropoda

D

Echinodermata

Correct Answer :

Coelenterata

Solution :

The correct option is Coelenterata.

Detailed Explanation:
The term "sea stick" (often referred to as sea pen or related colonial forms) is a common name associated with certain marine organisms belonging to the phylum Coelenterata (also known as Cnidaria).
Let us break down the classification and reasons below:

1. Phylum Coelenterata (Cnidaria):
This phylum consists of aquatic, mostly marine, radially symmetrical animals. They are characterized by the presence of cnidoblasts or stinging cells and a central gastrovascular cavity (coelenteron) with a single opening. This group includes well-known organisms like hydras, jellyfish, sea anemones, corals, and colonial forms such as sea pens (Pennatula), which are colloquially referred to as "sea sticks" due to their upright, rod-like skeletal structure resembling a pen or a stick anchored in the sandy sea floor.

2. Why other options are incorrect:
Porifera: Commonly known as sponges, these are pore-bearing multicellular animals with a cellular level of organization, lacking true tissues.
Arthropoda: This is the largest phylum in the animal kingdom, characterized by jointed appendages and a chitinous exoskeleton (e.g., insects, crabs, spiders).
Echinodermata: These are spiny-skinned marine organisms with a water vascular system and pentamerous radial symmetry in adults (e.g., starfish, sea urchins).

Therefore, the common name "sea stick" is associated with members of the phylum Coelenterata.

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