what body symmetry do echinoderms have as adult and larvae?
adults: radial symmetry, larvae: bilateral symmetry
Echinoderms have a characteristic five-fold radial symmetry as adults, which means that their body parts are arranged around a central axis or point in a pattern of fives. Each body part, including the arms, tube feet, and digestive system, is duplicated in each of the five sections.
However, as larvae, echinoderms exhibit a bilateral symmetry, which means that they have a left and a right side that are mirror images of each other. This bilateral symmetry disappears during metamorphosis as the larvae develop into the fivefold radial symmetry characteristic of adult echinoderms.
It is worth noting that some echinoderms, such as sea cucumbers, may exhibit a secondary bilateral symmetry as adults due to their elongated body shape and lack of distinct arms or rays. However, the fivefold symmetry pattern is still evident in their internal structures.
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