Consider the following statements : 1. All Echinoderms are not marine. 2. Sponges are exclusively marine. 3. Insects are found in all kinds of habitats. 4. Many primates are arboreal. Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?

Statement 1 is incorrect because Echinodermata is the largest phylum without any freshwater or terrestrial forms; they are exclusively marine [1]. Statement 2 is incorrect because while most sponges (Porifera) are marine, approximately 100 species exist in freshwater environments. Statement 3 is correct as insects are the most diverse animal group, inhabiting nearly all terrestrial and aquatic habitats globally. Statement 4 is correct because many primates, such as lemurs and various monkey species, are primarily arboreal, meaning they are adapted for living in trees [1]. Therefore, only statements 3 and 4 are accurate. Echinoderms are strictly marine due to their water vascular system and lack of osmoregulatory mechanisms to survive in freshwater [2]. Sponges, though mostly marine, include the family Spongillidae found in freshwater.

Sources

1. [1] Environment and Ecology, Majid Hussain (Access publishing 3rd ed.) > Chapter 4: BIODIVERSITY > IndIA – A MegA-BIodIversIty nAtIon. > p. 23
2. [2] https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1095643312005326