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**Welcome To** **Phylum //Echinodermata//**

**The phylum of Echinodermata consists of 7,000 marine species that include starfish, brittle stars, sea urchins and dollars, sea cucumbers, and sea lilies. The echinoderms have distinct characteristics that enable them to survive in all regions of the ocean at all depths and ranges. **  ** All echinoderms have radial symmetry, which means that the creatures have appendages which point outward from the center of the body. **      **Echinoderms use their water vascular system to expand and contract chambers that can force water into certain tube feet to extend them. The animal has muscles in the tube feet which are used to retract them. By expanding and retracting the right tube feet in the proper order, the creature can walk. Many echinoderms can also form suckers on the ends of their tube feet. These suckers can be used to capture and hold prey, or to hold onto rocks in a swift current or tide. **  Amphiodia occidentalis
 * Organisms include:**

Astrophyton muricatum

Choriaster ganulatus

Coelopleurus exquisitus

Colochirus quadrangularis

Coscinasterias calamaria

Lamprometra palmate

Protoreaster nodosus

Comatula Purpurea

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