Crustaceans and Echinoderms, while sharing many of the same
watery homes, are more different than they are similar.
One singular similarity between the two sorts of creatures is that they are both
invertebrates.
However, there is an absolute
plethora of differences:
- Crustaceans have bilateral symmetry, whilst echinoderms have radial symmetry.
- Crustaceans have hard exoskeletons, and echinoderms have endoskeletons.
- Echinoderms are far more sessile than crustaceans.
- Echinoderms leave behind tests, which are their endoskeleton remains; crustaceans do not.
- Crustaceans go through molting, while echinoderms do not.
- Echinoderms move with their tube feet, but crustaceans move with walking feet.
- Crustaceans have segmented bodies, but echinoderms do not!
- Echinoderms have spiky skin made of calcium carbonate, but crustaceans in turn have jointed legs and feet (they're arthropods).
- Crustaceans have more complex nervous systems than echinoderms.
Here are some photos of these nifty creatures, followed by their taxonomy (scientific classification):
First, some echinoderms...
Animalia echonodermata asteroidea spinulosida acanthasteridae acanthaster planci
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| http://digital.library.colostate.edu/cgi-bin/pview.exe?CISOROOT=/garst&CISOPTR=60&CISORESTMP=/garst/html/garst_template1.html&CISOVIEWTMP=/garst/html/garst_template2.html&CISOMODE=thumbnails&CISOROWS=2&CISOCOLS=4 |
Eukarya animalia echinodermata asteroidea forcipuladita asteriidae pycnopodia helianthoides
 |
| http://cdn1.arkive.org/media/2B/2B9B3E72-D665-4A7D-9560-EBBC4A9EA908/Presentation.Large/Sunflower-star-predating-on-sea-cucumber.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.arkive.org/sunflower-star/pycnopodia-helianthoides/&usg=__nDmv2q-hz2DlvHVvxYv2oALDSyQ=&h=430&w=650&sz=68&hl=en&start=12&sig2=otTd6j2dicNxjqnnxmD7Mg&zoom=1&tbnid=24J6xqnnvxy2vM:&tbnh=91&tbnw=137&ei=5rV_TZKgNeG40QG8gpWDCQ&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dsunflower%2Bstar%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Dactive%26biw%3D1024%26bih%3D576%26gbv%3D2%26tbs%3Disch:10%2C228&itbs=1&biw=1024&bih=576 |
Eukarya Animalia Echinodermata Asteroidea Forcipulatida Asteriidae Pycnopodia helianthoides
 |
| http://www.racerocks.com/racerock/eco/taxalab/ensy02/gorgonocephalus/baskcentre.jpg |
Now for some
crustaceans!
Animalia arthropoda malacostraca decapoda graspidae graspus
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| http://digital.library.colostate.edu/cgi-bin/pview.exe?CISOROOT=/garst&CISOPTR=1158&CISORESTMP=/garst/html/garst_template1.html&CISOVIEWTMP=/garst/html/garst_template2.html&CISOMODE=thumbnails&CISOROWS=2&CISOCOLS=4 |
Eukaryota animalia metazoa arthropoda crustacea malacostraca eumalacostraca eucarida decapoda pleacyemata brachyura
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| http://laterallineco.com/blog/2009/01/page/2/&usg=__Pgw7mTWFH2PYdRV2flYOysRuBQ0=&h=391&w=500&sz=432&hl=en&start=0&sig2=aeP-Ts80l9TOvKj_LZdcRA&zoom=1&tbnid=vtIwPRSRNHuvBM:&tbnh=134&tbnw=190&ei=lLN_TYOLMKq40QGm2c2TCQ&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dblue%2Bcrab%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Dactive%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official%26biw%3D1024%26bih%3D576%26tbs%3Disch:1&um=1&itbs=1&iact=rc&dur=231&oei=lLN_TYOLMKq40QGm2c2TCQ&page=1&ndsp=13&ved=1t:429,r:2,s:0&tx=120&ty=101 |
Metazoa Arthropoda Malacostraca Decopoda Ocypodidae Ocypode
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| http://www.aquaessence.com/image/store/0/productImages/ghostCrab.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.aquaessence.com/index.cfm/m/38/fuseaction/store5products.productDetail/productID/120/merchantId/0/departmentId/0/categoryId/34&usg=__eUNLBJS4sd8tLdPmkif7wIkZN5U=&h=480&w=640&sz=37&hl=en&start=0&sig2=3MfruFZc4ymHWjFpmGFgyg&zoom=1&tbnid=Yc90pZsgBb2K9M:&tbnh=133&tbnw=201&ei=pLd_Ta31AY6atwfG2entCA&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dghost%2Bcrab%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Dactive%26gbv%3D2%26biw%3D1024%26bih%3D576%26tbs%3Disch:10%2C95&um=1&itbs=1&iact=hc&vpx=522&vpy=136&dur=245&hovh=194&hovw=259&tx=162&ty=128&oei=lLd_Ta3oI8-gtgew2oXOCA&page=1&ndsp=12&ved=1t:429,r:6,s:0&biw=1024&bih=576 |
Check out this AWESOME video of a nocturnal sea star!
It reminds me of a spider with long legs!
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