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Kingdom Animalia
The animal kingdom is divided into two realms – vertebrates (animals that have backbones) and
invertebrates (animals that do not have a backbone). Each of these groups are comprised of
different phylums based on similarities and differences.
Invertebrates
There are 8 different phylums among the invertebrate species. They are porifera, cnidaria,
platyhelminthes, nematoda, annelida, mollusca, echinodermata, and arthropoda.
Phylum Porifera
Sponges; the simplest member of the animal kingdom; multicellular
with a hollow body; absorbs food and O2 from water passing through
its pores; reproduce both sexually and asexually; adults are sessile
(cannot move); all sponges live in water, mostly in salt water.
Phylum Cnidaria
Hydra and jellyfish; a step above the sponges; have tentacles around
their mouths; some are sessile and some free-swimming; have radial
symmetry; are sensitive to light,
gravity, touch, and chemicals;
reproduce by budding or regeneration; may be found in fresh or
salt water, and live as individuals or colonies.
Phylum Platyhelminthes
Flatworms (planaria, tapeworms, liver flukes); have ribbon-like bodies; tapeworms and liver
flukes are parasites – tapeworms live in the intestines of other
animals, absorb food from their host, and reproduce rapidly while
liver flukes reside in the liver of other animals;
all can live in fresh and salt water, while only the two parasitic
forms live in hosts, including humans, at some stage in their life
cycle.
Phylum Nematoda
Roundworms; reproduce sexually; may be decomposers, predators, or
parasites; able to live anywhere; ascaris worms live in soil; trichina worm is
found in undercooked pork and cause trichinosis in humans; hookworms burrow
through skin and move through the bloodstream to intestines causing infection,
blood loss, and tissue damage; can cause physical and mental retardation in
children .
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Phylum Annelida
Segmented worms (earthworms and leeches); all have segmented bodies; are
hermaphrodites but usually do not fertilize their own eggs; have tube-like hearts
that pump blood; respond to light, touch, chemicals and temperature; earthworms
loosen and aerate soil and are a food source for birds and other animals; cutting an
earthworm in half kills the worm; segmented worms can regrow (regeneration) some
lost segments, but usually no more than 4 – 10 segments of the tail.
Phylum Mollusca
Mussels, clams, oysters, squid, octopus; all have soft bodies arranged into the head-foot,
visceral mass containing guts and reproductive organs, and a mantle; bivalves have two shells
(clams, mussels, oysters); univalves are one solid piece (snails,
slugs, etc.); octopus and squid have thin internal shells; all have
bilateral symmetry, reproduce sexually, and live in fresh water,
salt water, or on land.
Phylum Echinodermata
Starfish, sea urchins, sea cucumbers; have
spiny skin and live in salt water; reproduce by
regeneration and gametes; have radial
symmetry; have tube feet and a water-vascular
system used in locomotion, feeding, and
respiration; starfish eat mollusks by prying open their shell,
extending its stomach inside out into the mollusk shell and
digesting the animal while it is still alive.
Phylum Arthropoda
Have a hard covering (exoskeleton) and molt as part of the
growth process; have jointed legs; three-part body (head,
thorax, and abdomen); includes crustaceans (crabs, shrimp,
lobster, crayfish), arachnids (spiders) and insects; is the
largest phylum of animals containing 97% of all living
animals on Earth. Insects – hard bodies, 3 body sections, 3
pairs of jointed legs; have one pair of antennae; undergo
complete or incomplete metamorphosis; most have wings,
biting mouth parts and legs; some insects are beneficial to
humans (bees pollinate plants and make honey), some are
harmful (bite, sting, spread disease and destroy crops);
some have highly organized societies (bees and ants) where
each member has a special job that is necessary for the
survival of the colony (division of labor); some have
defense mechanisms such as mimicry (looking like something else to scare a predator away),
producing chemical scents, or having a bad taste.
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Vertebrates
Vertebrates are a phylum of their own (Chordata). There are 5 different groups of animals
among the vertebrate species. They are fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals. Fish,
amphibians, and reptiles are cold-blooded (ectothermic) animals. Their body fluctuates with
their surroundings. Birds and mammals are warm-blooded (endothermic) animals. They
maintain their body temperature through metabolism and the use of fur and feathers. Members
of this phylum have a notochord, a firm but flexible rod that provides stability for the body. At
some point of development, all chordates also have gill slits and a tail. All have an endoskeleton
made of bones, cartilage, or both; a closed circulatory system; and a well developed nervous
system containing brain, spinal cord, and nerves which help them respond to their environment.
Osteichthyes (Bony Fish)
Live in water (duh…); streamlined bodies, scales for protection and flexibility; fins for balance
and movement; swim bladder for changing depths in the water and an oxygen source; a lateral
line that senses changes in water pressure and detects external obstacles; most fish are
ectothermic (cold-blooded); fertilization occurs outside the body; nearly all fish lay eggs
although family poecilidae (guppies) have live babies.
Amphibia (Frogs, Toads, Salamanders, etc.)
Live their early life in water then go through metamorphosis and move onto land as adults; are
ectothermic; have moist, smooth skin that absorbs essential moisture and gases; breathe
through gills when young and lungs when adults.
Reptilia (Snakes, Lizards, Turtles, etc.)
Live, for the most part, on land; internal fertilization system; breathe with lungs; have a bony
endoskeleton and dry, scaly skin; lay eggs on land; are ectothermic with many hibernating in
large groups underground during winter; many have claws and well developed jaws and teeth
for defense.
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Aves (Birds)
The only animal that has feathers; can fly due to
feathers, hollow bones, internal air sacs, and
streamlined bodies; beak, wing, and claw structure
depends on their environment; water birds are
adapted to swim or wade; birds of prey have hooked
claws (talons), powerful beaks, and keen sight;
flightless birds live all over the world and have strong
legs and feet; beaks are physical adaptations that fit its
diet and habitat; have lungs, a four-chambered heart,
and a nervous system; some migrate; are endothermic
(warm-blooded), internally fertilized and produce
eggs; feathers are not only for flying and warmth but
also function as camouflage and for attracting mates
with males being the gender that display brilliant
colors (sexual dimorphism).
Mammalia (Mammals)
Mammals, along with birds, are one of the two classes
that are endothermic (warm-blooded); all mammals
produce milk for their young and have fur (or hair)
covering their bodies; have four-chambered hearts, a
complex brain that reacts not only through instinct but
also learns though interaction with the environment;
reproduce internally and have live young (except for duckbill platypus); young usually have an
extended time of parental care; almost all have two pairs of limbs; have teeth of different
shapes dependent upon diet. Migration and hibernation are two ways that mammals adapt to
change in weather.
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