Types of Cleavage

a) Radial Type: If each of the blastomeres of upper tier lies exactly over the corresponding blastomeres of the lower tier the pattern of cleavage is radially symmetrical i.e. blastomeres are arranged along the radii of the sphere, e.g. echinoderms, Amphioxus, amphibians.

b) Spiral Type: The upper tier of blastomeres of 8-cell stage embryo may be shifted with respect to the lower tier so that radially symmetrical arrangement of blastomeres is distorted in various degrees. In such a case the blastomeres of the upper tier do not lie exactly over the corresponding blastomeres of the lower tier.

Instead, all the blastomeres of upper tier are shifted in the same direction with respect to all the blastomeres of the lower tier. This position results from the oblique position of mitotic spindle so that, from the start, two daughter blastomeres do not lie one above the other, e.g., annelids, molluscs, some helminths of order polycladida.