It means they live in salt water environments. If they liked freshwater, they would be called aquatic.

The intertidal zone, also known as the foreshore and seashore The abyssal zone is the abyssopelagic layer or pelagic zone that contains the very deep benthic communities near the bottom of oceans. "Abyss" derives from the Greek word , meaning bottomless. Echinoderms are also the largest phylum that has no freshwater or terrestrial representatives. The word is derived from the Greek (echinodermata), plural of (echinoderma), "spiny skin" from (echinos), "sea-urchin", originally "hedgehog,"[2] and (derma), "skin"

Echino-" = "hedgehog" / "derm" = "skin". Sea urchins have pronounced spines, starfish have smaller bumps, sea cucumbers have microscopic plates.
The most striking feature of all echinoderms is their pentamerous radial symmetry. That is, the body can be divided into five parts (or appendages) which point outward from the center of the body. Interestingly, although most mature echinoderms are radially symmetrical, the larvae usually have bilateral symmetry. During the process of maturing, the echinoderm will change its body shape and settle down on the sea floor.

In radial symmetry, all planes passing through a central axis (normally vertical) divides the form into two identical halves that are mirror images of each other. Such a form will have distinct ends (usually top and bottom) and any plane that passes through its longitudinal axis (a line from end to end through the center) will create two similar halves (Towle 1989). bilateral symmetry (also called plane symmetry), only one plane (called the sagittal plane) will divide an organism into roughly mirror image halves (with respect to external appearance only). Thus there is approximate reflection symmetry. Often the two halves can meaningfully be referred to as the right and left halves, e.g. in the case of an animal with a main direction of motion in the plane of symmetry. An example would be an airplane, whereby a plane passing through the center of the plane from tip to tail would divide the plane into two equal parts (on external surface). riploblastic Applied to animals in which the body wall is derived from three embryonic layers: the ectoderm mesoderm; and endoderm. All Animalia other than Coelenterata are triploblastic. ectoderm In a triploblastic embryo, the outer layer of cells which eventually give rise to the epidermis, the most anterior and posterior portions of the digestive tract, and the majority of the nervous system. mesoderm In a triploblastic embryo, the middle layer of cells, which form a hollow ring surrounding the endoderm, giving rise to muscle, blood vessel, some nervous tissue, and the organs of the body within the mesoderm cavity. On development of the notochord, the mesoderm develops bilaterally paired blocks on either side of the notochord, known as somites, in which voluntary muscles, vertebrae, and deep portions of the skin develop. Somites are connected by undifferentiated mesoderm, known as lateral plate mesoderm. The ectodermal layer of the mesoderm is called the somatic mesoderm and the endodermal layer is called the splanchnic mesoderm layer. The mesoderm region between the somite and lateral plate mesoderm eventually separates and forms a nephric ridge which will develop into the kidney. A genital ridge later forms from the medial border of the kidneys which gives rise to the gonads. After differentiation of the mesoderm,organogenesis occurs. endoderm In an embryo, the innermost layer of cells that gives rise to the lining of the archenteron (digestive cavity) and its associated glands. n endoskeleton is an internal support structure of an animal, composed of mineralized tissue. Endoskeleton develops within the skin or in the deeper body tissues. The vertebrate is basically an endoskeleton made up of two types of tissues (bone and cartilage). During early embryonic development the endoskeleton is composed of notochord and cartilage. The notochord in most vertebrates is replaced by vertebral column and cartilage is replaced by bone in most adults.In threephyla and one subclass of animals, endoskeletons of various complexity are found: Chordata,Echinodermata, Porifera, and Coleoidea. An endoskeleton may function purely for support (as in the case of sponges), but often serves as an attachment site for muscle and a mechanism for transmitting muscular forces. A true endoskeleton is derived from mesodermal tissue. Such a skeleton is present in echinoderms and chordates. The poriferan 'skeleton' consists of microscopic calcareous or siliceous spicules or a spongin network. The Coleoidae do not have a true endoskeleton in the evolutionary sense; here, a mollusc exoskeleton evolved into several sorts of internal structure, the "cuttlebone" ofcuttlefish being the best-known version. Yet they do have cartilaginous tissue in their body, even if it is not mineralized,

especially in the head, where it forms a primitive cranium.The endoskeleton gives shape,support and protection to the body and provides a mean of locomotion ciliated free-swimming organisms

Echinoderms are monoecious, that means that the sexes are separate. Males are males, females are females. There is no ambiguity. However, with echinoderms, the sexes are not readily aparent using the unaided eye.
Reproduction
Mating System polygynandrous (promiscuous)

Echinoderms are mainly gonochoristic (having separate sexes), with exceptions among the asteroids,holothurians and ophuroids. Holothurians possess a single gonad, crinoids lack distinct gonads, while asteroids and echinoids have multiple gonads. Echinoderm reproductive strategies vary from free spawning and indirect development to brooding and direct development. Spawning is probably a noctural event. (Barnes, 1987; Brusca and Brusca, 2003)

branchiae (skin gills)

also celom or coelome (s'lm) n. The cavity within the body of all animals higher than the coelenterates and certain primitive worms, formed by the splitting of the embryonic mesoderm into two layers. In mammals it forms the peritoneal, pleural, and pericardial cavities. Also called body cavity.

Many echinoderms have remarkable powers of regeneration. A starfish cut radially into a number of parts will, over the course of several months, regenerate into as many separate, viable starfish. A section as small as a single arm (with the commensurate central-body mass and neural tissue) will, under ideal circumstances, successfully regenerate in this way. Brittle stars, which are so named because sections of the arms can easily break off, regenerate the missing arms. Sea cucumbers when threatened can eviscerateeject their internal organs through their anusand later regenerate the lost parts.

Echinoderms have a mesodermal skeleton composed of calcareous plates or ossicles

The water vascular system

Main article: water vascular system Echinoderms possess a unique water vascular or "ambulacral" system. This is a network of fluid-filled canals that function in gas exchange, feeding, and secondarily in locomotion. This system is derived from both the hydrocoel and axocoel. This system may have allowed echinoderms to function without the gill slits found in other deuterostomes. The system comprises a central ring, the hydrocoel, and radial ambulacra stretching along the body or arms. As well as assisting with the distribution of nutrients through the animal, the system is most obviously expressed in the tube-feet of most echinoderms. These are extensions of the water vascular system which poke through holes in the skeleton and can be extended or contracted by the redistribution of fluid between the foot and internal sac. Echinoderms also have a haemal system, and often also a perihaemal system. Both are derived from the coelom, and form an open and reduced circulatory system. This usually consists of a central ring and five radial vessels, although there is no true heart, and the blood often lacks any respiratory pigment. Gaseous exchange occurs by dermal branchae or papulae in seastars, peristominal gills in sea urchins, genitial bursae in brittle stars andcloacal trees in holothurians. Exchange of gases also takes place through tube feet.

Echinoderms lack specialized excretory organs and so nitrogenous waste, chiefly in the form of ammonia diffuses out through the respiratory surfaces. They have a simple radial nervous system that consists of a modified nerve net interconnected neurons with no central brain (although some do possess ganglia). Nerves radiate from central rings around the mouth into each arm or along the body; the branches of these nerves coordinate the movements of the organism. The gonads occupy the entire body cavities of sea urchins and sea cucumbers, while the less voluminous crinoids, brittle stars, and seastarshave two gonads per arm. While the primitive condition is considered to be one genital aperture, many organisms have multiple holes through which eggs or sperm may be released.

Sexual reproduction
Echinoderms become sexually mature after approximately two to three years, depending on the species and the environmental conditions. The eggs and sperm cells are released into open water, where fertilization takes place. The release of sperm and eggs is coordinated temporally in some species, and spatially in others. Internal fertilization has currently been observed in three species of sea star, three brittle stars and a deep water sea cucumber. In some species of feather star, the embryos develop in special breeding bags, where the eggs are held until sperm released by a male happen to find them and fertilize the contents. This can also be found among sea urchins and sea cucumbers, where exhibit care for their young can occur, for instance in a few species of sand dollars who carry their young between the pricks of their oral side, and heart urchins possess breeding chambers. With brittle stars, special chambers can be developed near the stomach bags, in which the development of the young takes place. Species of sea cucumbers with specialized care for their offspring may also nurse the young in body cavities or on their surfaces. In rare cases, direct development without passing through a bilateral larval stage can occur in some sea stars and brittle stars. [citation needed] Another strategy that has evolved in some sea stars and brittle stars is the ability to reproduce asexually by dividing in two halves while they are small juveniles, while turning to sexual reproduction when they have reached sexual maturity.[verification needed][citation needed] [edit]Asexual

reproduction

One species of seastar reproduces asexually by parthenogenesis.[12] In certain other asterozoans the adult organisms reproduce asexually for a while before they mature and reproduce sexually. In most of these species, they reproduce by transverse fission- with the disc splitting in two. Regrowth of both the disc and the arms occur[9][13] giving an animal with some large arms and some small arms during the period of growth. Though in most species at least part of the disc is needed for complete regeneration, in a few species of sea stars a single severed arm can grow into a complete individual over a period of several months.[7][8][9] In at least some of these species, they actively use this as a method of asexual reproduction.[7][14] A fracture develops on the lower surface of the arm and the arm pulls itself free from the body which holds onto the substrate during the process.[14] During the period of regrowth, they have a few tiny arms and one large arm earning them the name of "comet forms".[8][14] Asexual reproduction by fission has also been observed in adult holothuroidea (Sea cucumbers).[15] They divide into two at a point closer to the anterior end from the middle. The two parts regenerate the missing organs over period of a few months.(see architomy) The larvae of some echinoderm species are capable of asexual reproduction. These species belong to four of the major classes of echinoderms except crinozoans (as of 2011).[16] Asexual reproduction in the planktonic larvae occurs through numerous modes. They mayautotomise parts that develop into secondary larvae, grow buds or undergo paratomy. The parts that are autotomised or the buds may develop directly into fully formed larvae or may develop through a gastrula or even a blastula stage. The parts that develop into the new larvae vary from the preoral hood (a mound like structure above the mouth), the side body wall, the postero-lateral arms or their rear ends.[16][17][18] The process of cloning costs the larva both in resources as well as in development time. They have been observed to undergo this process when food is plentiful[19] or temperature conditions are right.[18] It has

also been proposed that cloning may occur to make use of the tissues that are normally lost in metamorphosis.[20] Recent research has shown that the larvae of some sand dollars clone themselves when they detect predators (by sensing dissolved fish mucus).[18][20] Asexual reproduction produces many smaller larvae that escape planktivorous fish better.[21]
Asexual reproduction in echinoderms usually involves the division of the body into two or more parts (known as fission) and the reproduction of missing body parts. Successful fission and regeneration require a body wall that can be torn and an ability to seal resultant wounds. Successful regeneration also requires that certain body parts be present in the lost pieces. For example, many sea stars can regenerate a lost portion only if some part of the central disk is present.

Class Crinoidea These are the sea-lilies or feather stars, and are thought to retain the ancestral body plan with the upwardly facing mouth. The body consists of a central disk containing the main organs, circled by 1- 200 long, feathery arms. The arms are muco-ciliary and are branched from the five basic arms. Crinoids do not have a madreporite, and the sexes are usually separate. In some species there is a stem anchoring the animal to the substrate. Over time there has been a trend towards free living and away from the anchored forms. Just over 600 species survive today, but the fossil record shows many more species. They are generally from 15 - 30 cm long, but some fossil species were 20 m long. They are plankton feeders and are usually found below 100 m, but can also be found in shallow waters. They are particularly abundant in the tropical western Pacific. Class Echinoidea These are the sea urchins and sand dollars; 950 living species have been described, but over 5000 fossil species have been discovered so far. E. esculentus (the edible sea-urchin, above right) is the largest and most common species found in U. K. waters, and can be found between the lower shoreline and as deep as 1000 m. In these animals the five arms have been incorporated into the body (see Echinus esculentus, above right) and the ossicles form a rigid test with pedicellariae and moveable spines. They also have tube feetthat aid the spines in locomotion. The mouth is on the lower surface and has a distinctive chewing apparatus called Aristotle's lantern. It is made up of five large and several small plates, and can be pushed through the mouth. The anus is on the upper surface. These are the sea cucumbers, Cucumaria sp. below right and Holothuna forskali (the cotton spinner) above. There are just over 1100 living species, and they have an elongated bilaterally symmetrical soft body, and can grow to 50 cm long. The skeleton has been reduced to small ossicles. The body muscles are attached to the ring of larger ossicles around the first part of the gut. They have from 8 - 30 tentacles around the mouth operated by the water vascular system; these are used in feeding. They have a through gut. Locomotion is mainly by tube feet, but in those species lacking tube feet, by peristaltic muscular contractions. Respiration in most is via the anus. Water is drawn into special organs called respiratory trees. In small/thin species gaseous exchange takes place through the body wall. They are found mostly in or on the sea bed. Holothuna forskali is found in the N.E. Atlantic and Mediterranean. Defense. When disturbed or feeling threatened sea cucumbers shoot the tube of their respiratory system out of their anus. In extreme circumstances they can even shoot out their whole digestive tract. The tubes are sticky and entangle the potential predator allowing the sea cucumber to escape. The tubes and digestive tract can be regrown in weeks. Reproduction. The sexes are usually separate, though there are some hermaphrodite species, and fertilisation is external. Class Ophuroidea These are the brittle stars, right and below. They bear a resemblance to the starfish, there are about 2000 species, found on the sea bottom at all depths. However, unlike starfish these are neither scavengers nor suspension feeders. They are flat with a central disc and five long, thin arms, see left. The ossicles of the skeleton are fused, and the arms are used in locomotion. The tube feet are used in feeding. They have no anus or pedicellariae and themadreporite is located on the under surface. The mouth has five jaw-like plates. They are negatively phototropic, i.e., they move away from light and tend to be more active at night. Reproduction. The sexes are usually separate, but a few species are hermaphrodites, and asexual reproduction by disc cleavage is possible.

Below right is Lapworthia miltoni, a fossil brittle star form the late Silurian, (423 - 419 million years ago). It was found in what is now Herefordshire, England.