EVERYDAY SCIENCE

Detailed explanation-1: -People, dogs, cats, and elephants all have bilateral symmetry. Animals with radial symmetry have body parts arranged around a central point. Any line drawn from one side through the center to the opposite side will divide the animal into two symmetrical halves.

Detailed explanation-2: -Examples of animals that possess bilateral symmetry are: flatworms, common worms ("ribbon worms"), clams, snails, octopuses, crustaceans, insects, spiders, brachiopods, sea stars, sea urchins, and vertebrates.

Detailed explanation-3: -The vast majority of animals display bilateral symmetry; also known as plane symmetry, this is a trait that applies to 99% of all animals, in the majority of phyla: Chordata, Annelida, Arthropoda, Platyzoa, Nematoda, and most Mollusca.

Detailed explanation-4: -Most animals are bilaterally symmetrical with a line of symmetry dividing their body into left and right sides along with a “head” and “tail” in addition to a top and bottom. Only sponges (phylum Porifera) have asymmetrical body plans.

Detailed explanation-5: -Radial symmetry is found in the cnidarians (including jellyfish, sea anemones, and coral) and echinoderms (such as sea urchins, brittle stars, and sea stars).