Skip to content
Login Register

#larva

2 public questions tagged with this topic.

Animal Classification

Larva of ctenophores is called

Ctenophore embryogenesis indirect in most planktonic species fertilized egg undergoes biradial cleavage hatches into characteristic cydippid larva free-swimming ovoid transparent form resembling miniature adult Order Cydippida with pair long branched tentacles housed within lateral sheaths eight rudimentary comb rows beating apical statocyst present at aboral pole. Cydippid serves as both larval stage and ancestral morphotype reflecting primitive biradial architecture from which lobate ribbon and beroid forms derive through growth. Some lobate retain cydippid features into juvenile stage few species direct developers lacking cydippid. Name derives genus Cydippe illustrating tentaculate juvenile stage emblematic phylum life history and dispersal in oceans globally.

Ref: Brusca & Brusca, Chapter 9: Ctenophora cydippid larva; Campbell Biology, Ctenophore development

View Details
Animal Classification

Larva of starfish is called

Asteroidean indirect development produces characteristic bipinnaria larva, free-swimming bilaterally symmetrical with preoral and postoral ciliated bands for locomotion and particle capture, complete gut with mouth and anus. Auricularia larva corresponds to Holothuroidea, echinopluteus with long calcareous rods to Echinoidea and ophiopluteus to Ophiuroidea, indicating class-specific larval morphology. Bipinnaria later develops brachiolar arms becoming brachiolaria larva which attaches before metamorphosis. Larval terminology provides taxonomic marker within Echinodermata, linking embryology to adult classification and illustrating enterocoelous deuterostome developmental pattern conserved across the phylum.

Ref: Hickman et al., Integrated Principles of Zoology, Chapter 21: Echinoderm Larvae; NCERT Class 11, Chapter 4

View Details