VELAMMAL

NEET & IIT Academy

TOPIC
ANIMAL KINGDOM
(LEVELS OF ORGANISATION)
(2)

DURATION: 50 MINUTES
BY

DR. M. VEERA BABU

 BASIS OF CLASSIFICATION

 Despite vast differences of structural complexity of organisms

ranging from simple sponges to highly evolved humans, all the
animals share an intrinsic structural design (bauplan, or body
plan) and fundamental functional plan.
 Some fundamental features such as the arrangement of cells,
 body symmetry, nature of Coelom and
 the type of digestive, circulatory or reproductive systems are
common to different animals.
 These features form the basis of animal classification.
 PRIMARY GERM LAYERS

 The fundamental cell layers formed in an early metazoan embryo are

called primary germ layers.
 Sponges are the only metazoans that lack true primary germ layers.
Diploblastic Animals
 Diploblastic animals are the metazoans in which there are two
embryonic germ layers (an external ectoderm and an internal
endoderm) are formed. e.g. coelenterates (cnidarians and ctenophores).
Diploblastic Animals
 Diploblastic animals are the metazoans in which only two embryonic
germ layers (an external ectoderm and an internal endoderm) are
formed,
 e.g. coelenterates (cnidarians and ctenophores).
 Triploblastic Animals
–

 The metazoans in which the embryo has three embryonic

germ layers are termed triploblastic animals,
e.g. Platyhelminthes and other higher metazoan phyla.
 In these animals, the embryo has a third primary germ layer,
the mesoderm, in between the ectoderm and the endoderm.
 Levels of Organization
 The unicellular protozoan groups are the simplest animal-like
organisms.
 Protozoans exhibit protoplasmic level of organization.
 All the life functions are confined within the boundaries of a
single cell.
 Within the cell, protoplasm is differentiated into organelles
capable of performing specialized functions.
 There is division of labour among the organelles.
 A cellular organism
 The single cell is, in fact, a complete organism that performs
all the basic functions of life as seen in the more complex
animals. Ex: Amoeba
 Hence protozoans should better be described acellular (not
divided into cells) rather than unicellular (single celled).
 Metazoan Organisation

 A metazoan’s body is composed of many kinds of cells

specialized for performing different functions.
 Metazoan cells are not capable of independent existence.
 Metazoans exhibit higher levels (grades) of organisation such
as
 Cellular level
 Tissue level
 Organ level and
 Organ-system level.
 Cellular Level of Organisation

 Exhibited by the Sponges.

 Each cell type is specialised to perform specific function.
 However, their cells do not form tissues.
 Tissue Level of Organisation

 Cnidarians and Ctenophores exhibit tissue grade of

organisation.
 The cells performing the same function are aggregated into
tissues.
 The tissues are not assembled into organs.
 The first key transition in the
animal bauplan is formation of
tissue.
 Organ Level of Organization

 In these animals, tissues are grouped together to form

functional units called organs, each specialized for a
particular function.
 Animals of the phylum Platyhelminthes onwards exhibit
organ level of organization.
 Organ-system Level of
Organisation
 Higher animals like Annelids, Arthropods, Molluscs, Echinoderms
and Chordates exhibit organ-system level of organization,
along with
Platyhelminthes and Aschelminthes.
 In these animals, groups of organs that work together have
associated to form organ systems.
 Each organ system is concerned with a specific physiological
function.
 Organ systems

 Eleven different kinds of organ systems are observed in

higher metazoans:
 Integumentary, Skeletal, Muscular, Digestive, Respiratory,
Circulatory, Excretory, Nervous, Endocrine, Immune, and
Reproductive.
 The efforts of all systems must be coordinated for the animal
to survive.
 Nervous system and Endocrine system are the two
integrative systems which help in coordinating various body
parts.
Organisation in living organisms
 Variations in organ systems

 Organ systems in different groups of animals exhibit various

patterns of complexities.
 For example, flatworms of the phylum Platyhelminthes have an
incomplete (sac-like, two-way)gut.
 It has only a single opening to the outside of the body that serves
as both mouth and anus.
 A complete gut (one-way gut) has two openings, i.e. mouth and
anus (e.g. nematodes).
Variations in Organ Systems Contd…

 Similarly, the circulatory system is of two types :

 In open circulatory system, blood is pumped by heart through large
vessels into an open space called Haemocoel.
 The cells and tissues are directly bathed in the Haemolymph.
 In these animals, circulation is slow, under low pressure.
 In closed circulatory system, the circulating fluid (blood) is always
enclosed within blood vessels (arteries, veins and blood capillaries)
that transport the blood away from and back to a pump, the heart.
 Closed circulatory system is more advantageous as the flow of fluid
can be more precisely regulated.
Variations in Organ Systems:
Examples
 Questions
1. Diploblastic organisms among the following are
1) Echinoderms 2) Cephalochordates 3) Cnidarians 4) Flatworms

2. Middle layer in the body wall of cnidarians is

1) ectoderm 2) mesoglea 3) endoderm 4) mesoderm

3. All the members of Animalia are

1) Eumetazoans 2) Unicellular 3) Multicellular 4) With tissues

4. Blood pumped out of heart bathes the tissues directly, in which type of circulatory
system
1) closed 2) open 3) both 1 and 2 4) None of these