Cnidarians do not have mesoderm. Discuss the costs and benefits of this condition, especially with regards to their movement and metabolism. Is this condition ancestral or derived? Explain how your answer depends on the phylogenetic position of ctenophores.
Cnidarians do not have mesoderm. Discuss the costs and benefits of this condition, especially with regards to their movement and
Explanation:
Cnidarians do not have a mesoderm layer in their bodies. Because of this state, the metabolism of cnidarians is more efficient, and thus, they do not need to use as much energy swimming around. Cnidarians have a limited range of motion as a result of their inability to replace lost body parts in the same way that mesoderm-based animals can, which is one of their most significant drawbacks. This is due to a tendency in one's genes. Because no other animals have mesoderm, ctenophores are thought to be the most primordial of all animals. This is because they are the only animals without this tissue. Because the lack of mesoderm is a characteristic that can be learned, this implies that cnidarians are more fundamentally basic than animals that have mesoderm in their bodies.
The absence of mesoderm in cnidarians is thought by researchers to represent an evolutionary adaptation to the passive lifestyles of cnidarians. Cnidarians do not have to go out and actively look for food since they are able to remain motionless and wait for their prey to come to them. As a result of their lack of mobility, cnidarians do not require the supplemental structure that is provided by mesoderm. Cnidarians are more effective digestive machines since they do not have mesoderm and so do not waste energy moving about when digesting food. This allows them to digest food more quickly.
The absence of mesoderm in cnidarians places a restriction on their mobility in comparison to other kinds of animals. Cnidarians are handicapped in their capacity to escape being eaten by predators and in their ability to find food because of this. Due to the absence of mesoderm in their bodies, cnidarians have a difficult time replacing missing body components. It is generally agreed upon that the lack of mesoderm in cnidarians represents a compromise between the positive aspects of leading a sedentary lifestyle and the negative aspects of having restricted movement and reduced regenerating potential.
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