NEET2026BiologyChapterActual
Which of the following statements correctly describes a characteristic feature of the animals belonging to Phylum Echinodermata?
Options
- AThey possess a water vascular system that assists in locomotion, respiration, and transport of food.
- BThey have a well-developed excretory system to manage osmotic balance in marine environments.
- CThey possess a rigid exoskeleton made up of calcareous ossicles.
- DBoth their adult and larval stages exhibit radial symmetry.
Correct answer
A. They possess a water vascular system that assists in locomotion, respiration, and transport of food.
Step-by-step solution
Echinoderms possess a unique water vascular system which helps in locomotion, capture and transport of food, and respiration. An excretory system is absent in echinoderms. They have an endoskeleton of calcareous ossicles, not an exoskeleton. The adult echinoderms are radially symmetrical but larvae are bilaterally symmetrical. Answer: They possess a water vascular system that assists in locomotion, respiration, and transport of food.