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Phylum:
Cnidaria
This phylum consists of over 11,000 species
1 (2016) and all such species are found exclusively in aquatic environments.
The distinguishing feature of the Cnidaria is the cnidocytes, which are specialized cells that they use mainly for capturing prey. There are two basic body forms, swimming and sessile (stationary).
Taxonomy:
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Cnidaria
Class:
Anthozoa
6,000 species (2023)
Includes: sea anemones, corals, sea pens
Orders:
Actiniaria, sea anemones
Antipatharia, black coral
Corallimorpharia, coral-limorphs
Scleractina, stony corals
Zoantharia, zoanthids
Alcyonacea, soft corals and gorgonians
Helioporacea, blue corals
Pennatulacea, pennatules, sea feathers, sea pens, sea pansies
Penicillara, tube dwelling anemones
Spirulria, tube dwelling anemones
Class:
Cubozoa
51 species (2018)
Includes: box jellyfish
Orders:
Carybdeida (5 families)
Chirodropida (3 families)
Class:
Hydrozoa
3,700 species (2009)
Includes: air fern, freshwater jellyfish, freshwater polyps,
pink hearted hydroids, Portuguese man o′war
Orders:
Anthroathecata, gymnoblastea (1,200 species)
Leptothecata, leptomedusa (41 Families, 1,900 species)
Siphonophorae, individual colonial zooid organism (175 species)
Actinulida (2 families, 3 species)
Limnomedusae (4 families, 19 species)
Narcomedusae (7 families, 22 genera, 67 species)
Tatalidoae ?
Class:
Schphoza
200 species (YEAR4)
Includes: true jellyfish
Orders:
Coronatae (6 families)
Rhizostomeae (2 Sub-Orders, 10 families)
Semaeostomeae (5 familes)
Class:
Stauroza
50 species (2018)
Includes: staked jellyfish
Orders:
Stauromedusae
Conservation Status
EX Extinct
EW Extinct in the Wild
CR Critically Endangered
EN Endangered
VU Vulnerable
NT Near Threatened
CD Conservation Dependent
LC Least Concern
NL Not Listed
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