Echinodermata

• BioLine Publications: Polychaete Research

• The Illinois Natural History Survey Center for Annelida Resources

• DELTA treatment of polychaetes from southern Australia
  • About polychaetes

  • Let's talk polychaete families

• Introduction to the Annelida: Everyone's favorite Worms: UCMP Berkeley

• Polychaeta bristle worms, featherduster worms;  Underwater Field Guide to Ross Island & McMurdo Sound, Antarctica

• Polychaete (aka "bristleworm") FAQ For Reefkeepers

• Polychaete Identification:

• Polychaete Researchers Online:  UC Berkeley.

• Read's compilation of Polychaeta Higher Classification papers

• UCMP Berkeley"Segmented worms make up the Phylum Annelida. The phylum includes earthworms and their relatives, leeches, and a large number of mostly marine worms known as polychaetes. Various species of polychaete are known as lugworms, clam worms, bristleworms, fire worms, sea mice, and "EWWW! I stepped on that THING! "

• BIOSIS | Resource Guide | Brachiopoda:

• Euro Branchs Net everything on brachiopoda:  This Web site gets the directory of the specialists working on brachiopods, the Brachiopodologists. Mirror Site

• the list "brachiopod" has been created...

• Introduction to the Brachiopoda:  Of lamp shells and lophophores; UC Berkeley

• Online Zoologists: Phylum Brachiopoda:

• Permian Brachiopods: .... 285 million-year-old Texas critters

• Ron Voskuil's Brachiopoda home page: (Netherlands)

• Smithsonian Brachiopod files

• The Cnidaria Home Page: This site is maintained at
  the University of California

• Cnidaria (Coelenterata): by the Tree of Life Web Project

• Introduction to the Cnidaria:  UC Berkeley:  “The Greek word "cnidos" means "stinging nettle," and that's how the Cnidaria got its name and definition. Cnidarians are characterized by stinging cells called nematocysts or cnidocysts, which when disturbed eject a barbed thread and often poison as well.”

• Bluebottle or Portuguese Man-of-War, The - pamphlet from the Australian Museum reports on Physalia physalis..

• Sea Anemones: Catalogue of species, bibliography of literature in which they were described, inventory of type specimens, distribution maps, and images.  This database contains data for 1355 nominal species of sea anemones.

• Sea Anemones:  “sea anemone usually attaches itself to rocks or coral. They have a central mouth which is surrounded by tentacles with nematocysts, stinging cells that paralyze and entangle small marine animals.”

• Hexacorallians of the World :

• Hydrozoan Society: Dedicated to the Study of Hydrozoan Biology

• the Jelly Zone:  "They're slimy, oozy and flimsy.   Misconceptions abound.  They lead lives of mystery, even to scientists who devote years studying their secretive habits.  Jellyfish and other gelatinous animals like comb jellies, pteropods and salps are actually among the most beautiful creatures of the sea.  And their goal in life is not to sting people.   The Jellies Zone will reveal some of their beauty and open your eyes to the wondrous world of gelatinous zooplankton!”

• Jellyfish Facts: Jellyfish facts provides information about jellyfish, helping people to understand these beautiful and interesting creatures.

• Mesopelagic Medusae - hydrozoans that live at midwater depths.  Great pictures of jellyfish found in Monterey Bay.

• Worldwide Cnidaria Web Site: "the major group of invertebrates that includes the sea anemones, corals, jellyfishes, hydroids, and animals that contain 'cnida' stinging capsules..."

Corals:

• Coral Id:  Latin & Common name

• Coral Reef Alliance:

  • International Coral Reef Information Network

• Coral Reef Creatures: images by:DOUGLAS A. SEGAR and ELAINE STAMMAN SEGAR
  

• Florida Bay / Puerto Rico Field Trip Coral Lab:  by Jennifer Chidsey

• NMITA: Neogene Marine Biota of Tropical America

• What Corals to Look for During a Swim and/or Dive in the Virgin Islands/Caribbean

• Action Atlas Coral Reefs: "The plight of the planet's coral reefs—and how you can help..."
  

• Coral reef biology and ecology

• The Coral Reef Ecology Home Page

• Welcome to the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority Online. "This site is the gateway for information on all aspects of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park and World Heritage Area...."

• Welcome to NOAA's Coral Health and Monitoring Program Homepage!
  • Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network- Homepage

• And Along Came a Spider...: by Ron Shimek (Pycnogonids-sea spiders )
  

• BIOSIS: Crustacea

• Blue Crab Archives:  Quite a comprehensive site and it even contains a glossary by Steve Zinski

• Chelicerata: Horseshoe Crabs & Sea Spiders
  

• Crustacea. Crabs, lobsters, shrimp, barnacles, sow bugs, etc. ... : Tree of Life Web Project

• Crustacea Net:  A guide for world wide crustaceans by the Australian Museum

• Introduction to Crustacea:

• Ostracoda:
  • IRGO the International Reasearch Group on Ostracoda:
  • Introduction to the Ostracoda: Seed or Mussel Shrimp: "The Ostracoda are one of the most successful crustacean groups with approximately 8000 living species. Ostracods are generally small, ranging in length from 0.1 to 32 mm (that's smaller than a poppy seed to the size of a meatball)...."

  • Seed Shrimp — Class Ostracoda: "Ostracods (ostracodes="having a shell"), also known as seed shrimp, are crustaceans that range in size from less than 0.1 cm to 3.2 cm and are enclosed in a hinged, shield-like plate (carapace) consisting of two valves. They are the oldest known crustaceans in the fossil record because their shells preserve well. ..."

• Sea Spiders Arthropoda - sea spider or Pycnogonids: UC Berkekey

• World List of Marine and Freshwater Crustacea Isopoda: Smithsonian Institute

• Tree of Life:"The Phylum Chordata includes the well-known vertebrates (fishes, amphibians, reptiles, birds, mammals). The vertebrates and hagfishes together comprise the taxon Craniata. The remaining chordates are the tunicates (Urochordata), lancelets (Cephalochordata), and, possibly, some odd extinct groups. With few exceptions, chordates are active animals with bilaterally symmetric bodies that are longitudinally differentiated into head, trunk and tail. The most distinctive morphological features of chordates are the notochord, nerve cord, and visceral clefts and arches..." Homepage

• UC Berkely: From sea otters to sea squirts: "The Chordata is the animal phylum with which everyone is most intimately familiar, since it includes humans and other vertebrates. However, not all chordates are vertebrates..."

1.  Marine Mammals:  Class Mammalia

• Be sure to visit the Marine Mammal Center:

I. Order Carnivora includes five families of marine mammals:

• A. Suborder Pinnipedia
  • Family Otariidae: (Sea lions and fur seals)
  • Family Phocidae: (True seals)
  • Family Odobenidae: (Walruses)
• B. Suborder Fissipedia
  • Family Mustelidea: (Sea otters)
  • Family Ursidae: Polar bears are designated as marine mammals because they depend on the ocean for a majority of their food.

II. Order Cetacea: Whales, dolphins, and porpoises are completely aquatic, they cannot live on land.

• A. Suborder Odontoceti:(Toothed whales include dolphins, porpoises, and whales)
• B. Suborder Mysticeti: (Baleen whales)

III. Order Sirenia: Dugongs and manatees live in warm or tropical waters and feed on plants.

• Otters: (Suborder Fissipedia includes all other marine mammals in the Order Carnivora except pinnipeds. This suborder is no longer formally recognized, but the adjective "fissiped", meaning paw or pad-footed, is still used to describe these animals. )

  • Discovery Online - Sea Otters

  • Friends of the Sea Otter, a non-profit organization:  Lots of interesting info on sea otters.

  • Otternet.com - Your Source for Otter Fun, Facts, and Faces homepage. Otternet has a wealth of interesting facts on otters. Our 50 + pages will help you with getting the information you need. Otternet is the largest resource on the Internet for otter information

  • WildCam: Otters @ nationalgeographic.com

• Manatee and dugong:

  • About Manatees:"Manatees, also known as sea cows, belong to the order Sirenia. There are four living species in the order Sirenia. The four living species are: the West Indian manatee, the West African manatee, the Amazonian manatee, and the dugong. There was a fifth species, the Steller's seacow. However, in 1741 it was hunted to extinction, only 27 years after it's discovery in the Bering Sea..."

  • Call of the Siren:  Manatee and Dugong Research, Education and Conservation

  • Dugong Information Kit:  by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority

  • The Dugong (sometimes refered to as a "Seacow") is a mammal, that is, it suckles its young.
    

  • Kids Only Manatees & Dugongs:  Illustrated by Mary Beath;  Written by KerrieKuzmier  and Jennifer McCann

  • Manatees:  by Sea World Educational Services online

  • Rothauscher's Dugong Page On this site, you can listen to a talkative male dugong, take part in their interactive maps or visit thier links to other dugong information pages.

  • Save the Manatee Club:

• Porpoise & Dolphins:  (Cetaceans)

  • Cetacea: "Welcome to Cetacea - the site which provides you with complete background information on every species of whale, dolphin and porpoise known to humankind - so either search for a specific species or simply browse through the site!..."

  • Cetaceans by UC Berkeley

  • David's Whale and Dolphin Watch “Welcome to David's Dolphin and Whale photos, one of the largest collection of dolphin and whale pictures on the Web! This is the place for all fans of whales and dolphins..”. This site has some nice pictures & sounds

  • Dolphins Around the World:  Great photos along with a few facts of individual dolphin species.

  • Dolphin Synergy:  A virtual journey into Dolphin Hyperspace by Daniel McCulloch

  • Online Zoologists: Cetacea:

  • Whales, Dolphins, and Porpoises of the Cetacea Order: NOAA: "Whales, dolphins, and porpoises all belong to the same taxonomic order called cetaceans. ..."
    

• Seals, Sea Lions and Walruses: ( Suborder Pinnipedia are "flipper-footed" marine mammals. Pinnipeds can safely come out on land to rest, breed, and give birth, and are comprised of three families:)

  • All About Seals, Sea Lions, and Walruses:  K-3 Teacher's Guide;  A Sea World Education Department Publication

  • Seals, Sea Lions, and Walruses of the Pinniped Order: NOAA: "Seals, sea lions, and walruses all belong to the same taxonomic family called Pinnipedia or the "fin-footed." ..."

  • The Marine Mammal Center

• Whales:  (Toothed and Baleen) (Cetaceans)

  • Cetacea: "Welcome to Cetacea - the site which provides you with complete background information on every species of whale, dolphin and porpoise known to humankind - so either search for a specific species or simply browse through the site!..."

  • Center for Whale Research conducts and supports research on whales, dolphins, and porpoises with long term photo-identification projects.

  • Gateways to Cetacean Sites and Pages on the World -Wide -Web: by the The Oceania Project - Caring for Whales, Dolphins and the Oceans

  • Whales, All about: by the Enchanted Learning.com
    

  • Whale Web:This is a good resource page on cetaceans

  • Cetacean Society International:  Welcome to Cetacean Society International. CSI is an all volunteer,  non-profit conservation, education, and research organization based in the USA, with volunteer representatives in 26 countries around the world.

2.   Fish:  Class Pisces:

• Class Pisces: These are Aquatic animals found in fresh water or sea water. Body is streamlined. Paired and unpaired fins present. Tail is muscular and used for propulsion and steering. Internal skeleton. Is cartilaginous or bony. Respiration takes place by gills. Sexes are separate. External skeleton is in the form of scales.

Further Divided into these Categories:

• Jawless Fishes (lampreys, hagfishes) Agnatha
• Jawed Fish
  • Placodermi - extinct, scaly-skinned fishes or armour-jawed vertebrtes
    
  • Chondrichthyes - cartilaginous fishes (sharks, sawfish, chimeras and rays)
    
  • Osteichthyes - bony fishes. (largest, most diverse group; Osteichthyes account for about 96% of all fish species with more than more than 23,500 species)
    • Acanthocii: fossils
    • Actinopterygii: ray-finned fishes
    • Sarcopterygii (lobe-finned fishes and four-legged vertebrates)
      • Coelacanthiformes [coelacanths]
      • Ceratodontiformes [Australian lungfishes]
        
      • Lepidosireniformes [lungfishes]

   

I also found this classification

• Osteichthyes ( bony fishes: account for about 96% of all fish species with more than more than 23,500 species)
  • subclass Dipnoi (lungfishes)
  • subclass Crossopterygii (coelacanths)
  • The subclass Actinopterygii includes all other living bony fishes. Actinopterygians are characterized by rayed fins.

• BonyFishes: (Osteicthyes)

  • The Aquarium Project: "This web site aims to act as a simple guide to the Identification of Sea Fish caught in and around the coastal waters of the United Kingdom, although at some time in the future we will include a sub-section for fresh water species as well...." 

  • Electronic Zoo by NetVet: 

    • FishFish - WWW Virtual Library”  From pets to sports to the living free fishes, I’m sure you will find   something here to get your attention.

  •  FINS:  The Fish Information Service  Another Great database for all things “Fishy”:

  • A great links page

• Eels:  (Family: Muraenidae)

  • Notes From the Road / Learn:  There are about 110 species of Moray Eels, a marine tropical reef dweller.

  • Marine Eels Other Than Morays

• Cartilaginous (Chondricthyes: Rays & Sharks)

  • All About Sharks:  by the Enchanted Learning.com

  • National Geographic:  Masterpiece of Evolution: The Shark - Includes white shark predatory behavior, giant nurse sharks, and weird fossil sharks.  Also to be found here is a great quiz and an “Ask to experts” page

  • Shark Friends – This site offers a virtual shark classroom including photos, diagrams, and how to adopt a shark of your own.

  • Shark Mania: good page by Fiona; A different site of shark links

  • The Life and Times of Long Dead Sharks: A Great site for identifying shark fossil teeth!

• Agnatha- Jawless Fishes (lampreys, hagfishes): Agnathans include the extinct OSTRACODERMS , and the living HAGFISHES and LAMPREYS - fishes adapted for life as scavengers or parasites.

• Sharks, Predators of the Seas: by Jan Koetze

• Sea Turtles:

• Sea Turtle Migration-Tracking Education Program:  “Through this web page, you can view a regularly updated map showing the migratory movements of endangered sea turtles being tracked by satellite. It is hoped that by providing this unique look at the migratory habits of sea turtles, you will also be compelled to learn more about sea turtle biology, the threats they face and the ways in which you can help protect marine turtles.”

• Turtle Trax.com: A Page Devoted to Marine Turtles

• BIOSIS Ctenophora page

• Introduction to the Ctenophora: by UC Berkeley: Ctenophores (Greek for "comb-bearers") have eight "comb rows" of fused cilia arranged along the sides of the animal, clearly visible along the red lines ...

• Classification of the Extant Echinodermata: This list also contains links to images

• Introduction to Echinodermata by UC Berkeley: . . . from starfish to sea cucumbers. . .

• Welcome to the echinoid website:  by the MuseumThe Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London, SW7 5BD, UK.:  Sea urchins - what they are, how they live and a brief history of the group

• Morphology of Echinodermata:  UC Berkeley Site.  A great place to learn all about these critters

• Molluscan Pictures.com Urchins and Sand Dollar Pictures

• Phylum Echinodermata: U of Michigan
  

• Starfish (Asteroidea):   - includes a description and photos of the five or six-armed marine animals.

• Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia - Research and Development of Sea-cucumbers - development of holothuroidea or gamat in Malaysia.

• Bryozoan HomePage:

• Recent and Fossil Bryozoa:  Bryozoa are aquatic colonial animals, which are abundant in modern marine environments, and have been important components of the fossil record.  A great place to learn all about bryozoans.

• Underwater Field Guide to Ross Island & McMurdo Sound, Antarctica

• AWI: Freeliving marine nematodes - taxonomy and ecology
  Nematodes (roundworms) can colonize virtually every moist habitat that can sustain metazoan life. In marine sediments they are the most abundant animals.
  

• EcoSystemWorld: role of nematodes and roundworms in the ecosystem

• Free Living Marine Nematodes

• Illustrated Key to the Genera of Free-living Marine Nematodes in the Superfamily Chromadoroidea (55 genera)

• SCIRUS:

• Metazoan Diversity/ Phylum Nematomorpha Graham Davison Bsc Zoology: Phylum Nematomorpha

• Nematomorpha: (nematomorphs or horsehair worms)

• Phylum Nematomorpha:
  

• SCIRUS:

• Introduction to the Nemertini : "There are about 900 known species in the phylum Nemertini (also spelled Nemertina or Nemertea by different authors)."

• Nearctica - Natural History - Miscellaneous small phyla ... are known for the Nemertinea (also spelled Nemertina or Nemertini by different authors). Most nemertines are marine, but are a few freshwater species exist ...

• SCIRUS:
  

• Underwater Field Guide to Ross Island & McMurdo Sound, Antarctica

• Cautiouscoral.com:  Welcome to the worlds best source for info on marine life! “Here you'll learn about coral reefs. You can find information on anemones, corals, and of course fish! Mostly geared toward aquarims, each page gives detailed information about each creature including where it lives (naturally), what its requirements are in an aquarium, what it eats, and how difficult it is to care for in captivity.”

• CSea: Welcome to the Cleveland Saltwater Enthusiasts’ Association.

• MarineReference.com

  • Marine Glossary

• New World Publications  Marine Life Learning Center:  A great place to learn about marine animals.   Also be sure to visit the Kids Corner:  

• Reef Organisms /www.k12.hi.us/~kapunaha/  Learn more about Reef Critters  by the students of C-3

• Oceanography: information categorised by subject. See also other subjects. Please mail webmaster@ocean.vlib.org.uk if you know of online information not in these lists. Please do not mail me to find someone's email address, or for general oceanographic information. For such information try posting to the sci.geo.oceanography news group. This list is maintained by voluntary effort, and by the goodwill of School of Mathematics UEA in allowing it to use school facilities.”

• SeaWorld/Busch Gardens Animal Information Database:  www.seaworld.org / www.buschgardens.or

• Smithsonian: Resource Room:  A continually expanding list of resources to help you explore the Ocean Planet.  This is a WONDERFUL links page.

• An Introduction to the Porifera:  By UC Berkeley;  “Porifera are commonly referred to as sponges. An early branching event in the history of animals separated the sponges from other metazoans. As one would expect based on their phylogenetic position, fossil sponges are among the oldest known animal fossils, dating from the Late Precambrian….”

• Marine Sponge: “The marine sponge is the oldest and simplest multicellular animal on earth, having originated over a billion years ago. Because of its simplicity, this creature has become a useful tool for medical researchers trying to unravel the workings of the human immune system.”

• the Aquarium:  The Sponges: A General Overview :  By. Jim Wolf C.S.U.N. Marine Biologist; ODYSSEA ( MASLA ) Volume 1, Issue 4;  “Sponges are among the simplest of the macroscopic animals found in a marine aquarium. There are over 9000 species worldwide and most are found in marine environments.”

• Phylum Porfera: U of Michigan

• Porifera Biology on the WWW:

This is a Kingdom and depending on how you split things, this Kingdom contains from 20 to 50 distinct Phyla.

The Kingdom Protoctista is composed of three Subkingdoms:

• Mastigobionta (Unicellular organisms commonly known as chytrids and water molds)
  
• Myxobionta (Organisms which are animal-like in most of their life cycles, that is, they move around like amoeba and engulf bacteria and other solid matter)
  
• Phycobionta: (The organisms in this Subkingdom are grouped in major Divisions based on their 1) reproductive cells, 2) pigment production and 3) food storage compounds.)
  

Kingdom Protoctista:

• Greek protos, very first; ktistos, to establish: Protoctista: "Kingdom Protoctista is defined by exclusion: its members are neither animals (which develop from a blastula), plants (which develop from an embryo), fungi (which lack undulipodia and develop from spores), nor prokaryotes. They comprise the eukaryotic microorganisms and their immediate descendants: all nucleated algae (including the sea-weeds), undulipodiated (flagellated) water molds, the slime molds and slime nets, and the protozoa. Protoctist cells have nuclei and other characteristically eukaryotic properties; most have aerobiosis and respiration in mitochondria and 9+2 undulipodia at some stage of the life cycle. "

• Museum of Natural History:  “This Kingdom is defined by exclusion: its members which are neither animals, plants, fungi, nor prokaryotes.” A full listing of Phylums is on this page and they are sooooo interesting. Link problems: http://virtualmuseumofnaturalhistory.com/halloftaxonomy/kingdomprotoctista/

• The Protoctist Kingdom (Protoctistae):  “The Protoctista Kingdom is a catch-all for the multicellular organism which don't fit into the Animal, Plant, or Fungus Kingdom.

• Proctoctisa:

• SCIRUS:

• Tree of Life:

• Foraminifers:

• Foram Gallery:  by Brian Darnton (UK) & Wim van Egmond (NL):  “Foraminifera, or 'forams' as they are often called, are small marine creatures that build a delicate house (called 'test') from chalk. Although they resemble molluscs they are in fact single cellular protists, but they can be quite large for organisms with only one cell….”  Also be sure to check out the great micro photography of the foraminifers at the Foram Group Portrait site.

• Introduction to the Foraminifera: UC Berkeley

• Algae:  [Green (Gamophyta & Chlorophyta), Red (Rhodophyta), and Brown (Phaeophyta)]

  • Background Information Links Page:  Red Tide links page

  • Harmful Algal Page:  Woods Hole Marine Biological Laboratory:  Learn all about the “Red Tide”

    • Sites related to Pfiesteria:

  • Pfiesteria piscicida: a toxic dinoflagellate associated with fish lesions and fish kills in mid-Atlantic Coastal Waters

    • What You Should Know About Pfiesteria piscicida:  Everything you ever wanted to know about pfiesteria.