Definitions for: Echinodermata


[n] radially symmetrical marine invertebrates including e.g. starfish and sea urchins and sea cucumbers



Webster (1913) Definition: E*chi`no*der"ma*ta
([-e]*k[imac]`n[-o]*d[~e]r"m[.a]*t[.a]), n. pl. [NL., fr. Gr.
'echi^nos hedgehog, sea urchin + de`rma, -atos, skin.]
(Zo["o]l.)
One of the grand divisions of the animal kingdom. By many
writers it was formerly included in the Radiata. [Written
also Echinoderma.]



Note: The species usually have an exterior calcareous
skeleton, or shell, made of many pieces, and often
covered with spines, to which the name. They may be
star-shaped, cylindrical, disk-shaped, or more or less
spherical. The body consists of several similar parts
(spheromeres) repeated symmetrically around a central
axis, at one end of which the mouth is situated. They
generally have suckers for locomotion. The group
includes the following classes: Crinoidea, Asterioidea,
Ophiuroidea, Echinoidea, and Holothurioidea. See these
words in the Vocabulary, and also Ambulacrum.

Synonyms: phylum Echinodermata

See Also: animal kingdom, Animalia, Asteroidea, class Asteroidea, class Crinoidea, class Echinoidea, class Holothuroidea, class Ophiuroidea, Crinoidea, echinoderm, Echinoidea, Holothuroidea, kingdom Animalia, Ophiuroidea, phylum

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