Echinodermata

Introduction: Echinoderms are highly diverse, successful and ancient phylum in the animal kingdom.They are exclusively marine habited, Deuterostomic, Triploblastic, Enterocoelous coelamate creatures.The phylum has its unique characters, the water vascular system includes tube feet present in different forms and function in different classes of the phylum.Adults are superficially pentaradial symmetry, but juveniles are bilateral symmetry, so their development is indirect.They inhabit from intertidal to abyssal depth in all seas and all l a t i t u d e s ( H y m a n , 1 9 5 5 ) .T h e l i v i n g echinoderms are classified into five classes viz Class Crinoidea or feather star, Class Asteroidea or sea star, Class Ophiuroidea or brittle star, Class Echinoidea known as sea urchin and sand d o l l a r fi n a l l y C l a s s H o l o t h u r o i d e a o r seacucumber.The phylum comprises of endoskeleton made of calcite which covered by single layer of cells called epidermis except holothurians.They show different mode of feeding habits like predator, detritvores and filter feeder.In feeding asteroids shows ECHINODERMATA 6Checklist of Indian Echinoderms