Question

3. Describe what it means for an organism to be triploblastic. What structures of the internal anatomy of a clam might lead you to conclude that a clam is triploblastic?

Answer 1

Ans)

An organism can be called triploblastic when it has three germ layers namely ectoderm, mesoderm and endoderm. Generally, multicellular organisms are only triploblastic and they are bilaterally symmetrical as well as have a true body cavity known as ceolom. The primary functions of the germ cells which are the basics of defining a trioloboastic organism are:-

1) Ectoderm:- produces skin, hair, epidermis and spinal cord.

2) Mesoderm:- produces blood vessels and heart vessels.

3) Endoderm:- produces lungs, liver, stomach, etc.

Examples of triploblastic organisms are molluscs, arthropods, echinoderms, etc.

A clam can be considered as a triploblastic organism as first of all belongs to phylum Mollusca and all molluscs are triploblastic. To be specific, clams have three primary tissue layers, endoderm, ectoderm and mesoderm and the ceolom or body cavity is enclosed within the mesoderm which confirms that clam is triploblastic along with its internal anatomy.