NINE MAJOR PHYLUMS
Poriphera
In Greek, “poros” refers to a pore or an opening. “Fero” in Greek means “to bear” or “to carry,” implying that these organisms “bear” or “carry” pores, which are abundant in their structure.
“Porifera” is the scientific name given to the phylum of organisms commonly known as sponges. Sponges are characterized by their porous bodies, which are filled with channels and cavities called pores. These pores allow water to circulate through the sponge, facilitating feeding and gas exchange.
In English, the word ‘pour’ refers to the flow of water steadily, which the animals of Porifera do through their holes.
Cnidaria
“Reo” means flowing. “Diarrhea” is two words combined. “Dia” means through and “rhein” means to flow. So the word means flowing through. The characteristic of the disease is frequent evacuation of the bowels (intestine) in a liquid form.
“Rheotaxis” refers to a specific type of taxis observed in many aquatic organisms, such as fish. When these organisms encounter a flowing current (usually water), they exhibit a particular behavior: they tend to turn and face into the oncoming current.
“Reo” is associated with river also. Like River beside Argentina is named as “Reo de la Plata” (Silvery River).
“Malaria” is two words: “mal” meaning bad and “aria” meaning air, so bad air. First, it was thought that the disease was caused by bad air; that is why it was named so.
“In the phylum Cnidaria, ‘Cnid’ means stinging nettle-like injection and ‘aria’ means attached. The phylum has needles attached to it; that is why it is named so.”
“When you say ‘I have a need,’ meaning you have an obstacle in your way that you have to overcome.”
“Aria” can be thought of as “A-Ria” meaning not flowing. As we saw, “reo” means to flow. So when something is attached to something, it cannot flow; simple, isn’t it?”
“When something cannot flow or is attached to something, it is attached to a specific area or 2D space. ‘Area’ is a word we use for how much 2D space an object has captured.”
“In the phylum Cnidaria, ‘Cnid’ means stinging nettle-like injection and ‘aria’ means attached. The phylum has needles attached to it; that is why it is named so.”
“When you say ‘I have a need,’ meaning you have an obstacle in your way that you have to overcome.”
Platyhelminthes
“Platyhelminthes” is the phylum name given to flatworms because of their characteristic flat bodies. The prefix “platy-” indicates their flattened shape, which distinguishes them from other types of worms that may have cylindrical or segmented bodies.
“The origin of ‘helminth’ is wel which refers to curved, enclosing objects.”
Nematoda
“The word ‘Nematoda’ derives from the Greek words ‘nema’ meaning ‘thread,’ and ‘eidos’ meaning ‘form’ or ‘shape.’ Thus, ‘Nematoda’ translates to ‘thread-like’ or ‘thread-shaped.'”
“The name is connected with the phylum because it describes the characteristic appearance of these organisms. Nematodes, or roundworms, are typically long, cylindrical bodies resembling threads.”
Mollusca
“The word ‘Mollusca’ comes from the Latin word ‘molluscus,’ which means ‘soft.’ The phylum Mollusca is named so because the majority of organisms within this group have soft bodies. This softness is due to the lack of a protective outer skeleton (like those found in arthropods) or a rigid internal skeleton (like those found in vertebrates). Instead, mollusks typically have a fleshy body, often enclosed in a shell.”
After making something soft, you can mold it. In order to make it soft, you need to melt it.
“So ‘mel’ means soft and ‘amel’ means not soft (strong, hard).”
“Enamel in pottery refers to a glass-like coating applied to ceramics, such as pottery or metal objects, to give them a shiny, decorative finish. This coating is made by fusing powdered glass to the surface of the object through a high-temperature firing process. The result is a smooth, glossy, and often colorful surface that protects the underlying material and enhances its appearance.”
“Many animals of Mollusca contain shells, which can be considered as the enamel coating. The coating also contains calcium, like enamel of the teeth.”
Annelida
The word ‘Annelida’ comes from the Latin word ‘annellus,’ meaning ‘little ring,’ and ‘eidos’ meaning ‘form’ or ‘shape.’ This name reflects the characteristic ringed or segmented body structure of these organisms.
In ferns, the annulus is a ring-shaped structure found on the underside of the sporangium, which is the organ that produces spores.”
“The annulus of a mushroom is a ring around the stem that can be visibly seen under the cap of the mushroom.
Arthropoda
“The word ‘Arthropoda’ comes from the Greek roots ‘arthro,’ meaning ‘jointed,’ and ‘poda,’ meaning ‘feet’ or ‘legs.'”
The phylum Arthropoda is named so because the majority of organisms within this group have jointed legs or appendages. ‘Arthro’ refers to the jointed nature of these appendages, while ‘poda’ refers to the legs or feet.
Echinodermata
“The word ‘Echinodermata’ is derived from Greek, specifically from two words: ‘ekhinos’ meaning ‘hedgehog’ or ‘sea urchin,’ and ‘derma’ meaning ‘skin.’ Thus, ‘Echinodermata’ translates to ‘spiny skin.'”
This name is highly descriptive of the phylum’s members, which include sea stars, sea urchins, sand dollars, and sea cucumbers. Echinoderms are characterized by their spiny skin.
Chordata
“The word ‘chord’ means string. The word is derived from the root which means intestine, as we know that our intestine is like strings.”
“‘Chordata’ (which includes vertebrates) derives its name from the string-like structure found in these animals which are called notochord.”
The social platform ‘Discord’ also hints at the absence of strings (communication without physical connections).”
“The word ‘card’ is used for heart; the pronunciation is near.”
“The relation between the pronunciation of ‘cord’ (referring to gut strings) and ‘cardiac’ (related to the heart) arises from the anatomical confusion between the heart and stomach.”
“The opening part of the stomach, closest to the heart, is known as the ‘cardia.'”
“This naming is also the result of the confusion.