Science 6 – 2nd Quarter

ANIMALS

 Animals can be classified according to the presence and absence of backbone.

 Animals without backbone are called invertebrates.
 Worms, clams, jellyfish, flies, and spiders, are some example of invertebrates.
 Animals that have backbones called vertebrates. All vertebrates have left and right
sides of the body which are alike. Vertebrates have two pairs of limbs. Amphibians,
reptiles, birds, and mammals are some examples of vertebrates.
 Normally, vertebrates are classified into five smaller groups: mammals, birds, fish,
reptiles, and amphibians. In this lesson you will learn the characteristics of each
classification.

Background Information
Animals that have backbones are called vertebrates. The vertebrates are
classified into five classes; namely, mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, and amphibians. Most
mammals do not lay eggs. They give birth to their young. They feed their young with milk
produced by the mammary glands. Examples of mammals found in our community are
dogs, cats, carabaos, cows, goats, and pigs. Birds are covered by feathers. They lay eggs
that have hard shells all birds possess one pair of legs and one pair of wings. Example of
birds are hens, hawk, and owls. Reptiles have bodies that are covered with scales or
plates. They lay their eggs on land. They can leave on land and on water. Crocodiles and
turtles are some example of reptiles.
Amphibians such as frogs, salamanders live a double life. They live part of their lives
in water while they are young. When they mature, they live on land to survive. All
amphibians lay eggs on water for example a frog lays eggs on water which hatched into
tadpoles. These tadpoles swim around and breathe with gills. As they grow older, they
change. They develop legs and lungs and begin to live on land. Most fish are covered with
scales. Some are egg layers; other are live bearers. They spend all their lives in water. Fish
have gills which are used for breathing.

Cl
Classification of Vertebrates

Mammals Reptiles Amphibiansss Birds Fishes

Vertebrates are further divided into five classes namely: mammals, reptiles, amphibians,
birds and fishes.
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The classification of Invertebrates which are: Porifera, Cnidarian or Coelenterates,

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Echinoderms, and Mollusks.

 Background information
1. Porifera
The Poriferans are marine animals full of pores or holes. These holes serve as passage for
water which carries nutrients and gases. Sponges or pore-bearing animals belong to this
group.

2. Coelenterata / Cnidaria
The Coelenterate or Cnidaria are hollow-bodied or soft-bodied animals. Their bodies are
made up of two layers of cells which form a hollow tube. Examples of animals in this group
are the fresh water hydras, hydroids, jellyfish, sea fans, sea anemones, and corals.

3. Mollusks
Mollusks are soft-bodied or shelled animals. Snails, slugs, clams, mussels,
oysters, squids and octopuses, are mollusks. Most animals like the clams, oysters and
snails have shells that protect their soft bodies.

4. Echinoderms
Echinoderms are spiny-skinned sea animals. They have hard shells covered with
prickly spines or needles. Starfish, sand dollars, sea urchins, and sea cucumber are the
most common examples of this group.

All worms have bilateral symmetry. An organism which has bilateral symmetry can be divided into
two parts that are alike. Some worms are free living while others are parasitic. They live in a bodies
of other animals and people such as flukes, tapeworms and ascaris.
Platyhelminthes ( flatworms ) –have bodies that look like ribbons.
 They have a thin flat body that resembles a ribbon and have a definite head
region and body organs.
 They have no space inside so they have no digestive system.
 A layer of outer cells or epidermis covers the animal’s body. An inner layer of
cells forms an intestine.
 Most flatworms are parasites living in the body of a variety of animals but
some are freely living in marine, freshwater, or moist land habitat
Flatworms have three major groups: planaria, tapeworm and fluke
Nematodes - consist of animals called roundworms.
 Roundworms are unsegmented worms that have long, thin, round bodies
pointed at both ends and are covered by a tough cuticle
 Have muscles that run the length of their body. These muscles cause the
worms’ body to move in a thrashing manner as one muscle contracts and
another relaxes
 Roundworms are both found in marine and fresh water habitat and on land.
Some are parasites and attaches to plants or animals. Most roundworms are
harmless. Some of them are also parasites. The ascaris lives in the intestines
of the human beings. The hookworm, another parasite, enters the human
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body by boring through the skin in the feet.

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Annelids Animals belong to this group are segmented worms.

  They live in salt water, fresh water and in the soil. They are the most complex
among the worms. Their bodies are divided into segments. Examples of the
animals in this group are the earthworms and leeches. The earthworm has no
respiratory system but absorbs oxygen and gives off carbon dioxide through
its thin skin, which must be keep moist.

Arthropods are joint-legged animals. They make up the largest group in the animal kingdom.
Their legs are jointed. Their bodies and legs are made up of sections. They have an outside shell
called the exoskeleton.

There are four groups of animals in this group. These are:

a. Crustaceans have a hard outer body covering divided into sections. Have five pairs legs for
swimming and walking. They are characterized by the presence of antennae located on the head.
The antennae are organs that touch,taste and smell food. They can hunt food in total darkness
using theantennae. Crabs, lobsters and shrimps belong to this group.
b. Insects are small, six-legged animals or have three pairs of walking legs, one or twopairs of
wings and a pair of antennae. Their bodies are divided into three parts: the head, the thorax, and
the abdomen. They change their form as they grow. They are the most numerous animals on earth.

Bees, ants, wasps, butterflies, cockroaches, ladybugs, fireflies, termites,moths and grasshopper are
insects.
c. Arachnids have four pairs of walking legs. Have two body segments and no antennae. They
have possess spinnerets with which they spin silk thread into webs, cocoons and nests. Most
arachnids live on land and a few live on water Examples of arachnids are scorpions, mites, ticks and
spiders.
d. Myriapods are animals with many legs. They are the millipedes (diplopods) which have two
pairs of legs in every segment of their body and the centipedes (chilopods) which have one pair of
legs in every segment of their body.
Centipede means “hundred feet” while millipede means “thousand feet”

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 BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Invertebrates are animals without backbones. They have economic
importance. They are sources of food, medicine, source for trade and
industry. Invertebrates are classified into poriferans, coelenterates,
echinoderms, mollusks, annelids, platyhelminthes , nematodes and
arthropods.
Poriferans are marine animals full of pores or holes. Its body is a
hollow tube with many pores or openings. These holes serve as
passage for water which carries nutrients and gases. The wall of the
body is made of two walls. Sponges or pore-bearing animals belong to
this group.
Coelenterate/ Cnidarian are hollow-bodied or soft-bodied animals.
Their bodies are made up of two layers of cells which form a hollow
tube. Examples of animals in this group are the fresh water hydras,
hydroids, jellyfish, sea fans, sea anemones, and corals.
Platyhelminthes have bodies that look like ribbons. They have no
space inside so they have no digestive system. Flatworms belong to
this group.
Nematoda or Nematodes consist of animals called roundworms.
They are long, thin, round, and pointed at one or both ends. Some of
them are also parasites.
Annelids are segmented worms. They are the most complex among
the worms. Their bodies are divided into segments.
Mollusca or Mollusks are softbodied or shelled animals. Snails,
slugs, clams, mussels, oysters, squids and octopuses are mollusks. Most
animals like the clams, oysters and snails have shells that protect their
soft bodies.
Echinodermata or Echinoderms are spiny-skinned sea animals. They
have hard shells covered with prickly spines or needles. Starfish, sand
dollars, sea urchins, and sea cucumber are the most common examples
of this group.
Arthropoda or Arthropods are joint-legged animals. They make up the
largest group in the animal kingdom. Their legs are jointed. Their
bodies and legs are made up of sections. They have an outside shell
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called the exoskeleton.

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