FUNDAMENTALS OF

ANIMAL BIOLOGY
Zoology
 The scientific study of animal life

Attempt to solve the mysteries of animal life and its

origin.
- documenting the diversity of animal life
- organizing it in a systematic way
Science
 Nature of science
 Gaining knowledge using the scientific method

 Scientific Method
 Observation
 Hypothesis
 Experimentation
 Conclusion
General Properties of Living Systems

 Chemical Uniqueness
Living systems demonstrate a unique and complex
molecular organization.
macromolecules = atoms + bonds
4 major categories
nucleic acids
proteins
carbohydrates
lipids
General Properties of Living Systems

 Complexity and hierarchical organization

Living systems demonstrate a unique and complex
hierarchical organization.
in ascending order of complexity

population
organism
cells
macromolecules
 Level Timesacle of Fields of Study Methods of Some Emergent Properties
Reproduction Study
Cell General
Hours Properties
Cell biology of Living Chromosomal
Microscopy Systems replication,
synthesis of
macromolecules
Organism Hours to days; Organismal Dissection, genetic Structure, functions and
days to years anatomy, crosses, clinical coordination of tissues,
physiology, studies organs and organ systems
genetics

Population Up to Population Statistical Social structures, systems of

thousands of biology, analyses of mating, age distribution of
years population variance, organisms, levels of
genetics, ecology abundance, variation, action of natural
geographical selection
distribution
Species Thousands to Systematics and Study of Method of reproduction,
millions of evolutionary geographic reproductive barriers
years biology, barriers,
community phylogeny,
ecology paleontology,
ecological
interactions
General Properties of Living Systems

 Reproduction
Living systems can reproduce themselves.

asexual or sexual
heredity – transmission of traits
variation – differences in traits
General Properties of Living Systems

 Possession of a genetic program

A genetic program provides fidelity of
inheritance.

genetic information in DNA

nucleotide base sequence

order of amino acids
= genetic code
General Properties of Living Systems

 Metabolism
Living organisms maintain themselves by obtaining
nutrients from their environments.

digestion
energy production
synthesis of molecules and structures

The study of the performance of complex metabolic

functions is known as physiology.
General Properties of Living Systems

 Development
All organisms pass through a characteristic life
cycle.

Characteristic changes
that an organism
undergoes:
zygote to adult
Se senescence
General Properties of Living Systems

 Environmental Interaction
All animals interact with their environment.
Ecology – permits to understand how an
organism can perceive environmental stimuli
and respond in appropriate ways by adjusting
its metabolism and physiology.
Irritability
Responsiveness
Adaptation
 Characteristics of Animals

All animals share these general features:

1. heterotrophy,
2. locomotion,
3. multicellularity,
4. sexual reproduction,
5. diploidy,
6. the absence of a cell wall,
7. cells organized as tissues, and
8. blastula formation.
Heterotrophy
Can’t make their own food… must eat things.
Locomotion
 Animals can swim, crawl, walk, run, and even fly.
 Some only move in the larval stage… the sponge
Multicellularity

 Made up of more then one cell!

 Although animals come in a wide range of sizes, the
cell sizes are all very similar!
Sexual Reproduction
 Almost all animals reproduce sexually by producing
gametes.
 Unlike the egg cells, the sperm cells of animals have
flagella and are highly mobile.
Diploidy
- adults have two copies of each chromosome, one
inherited from their father and one from their
mother.
 The absence of a cell wall…

Among the cells of

multicellular organisms,
only animal cells lack
rigid cell walls. The
absence of a cell wall
has allowed animals
mobility that other
multicellular organisms
do not have.
 Blastula Formation
- In all animals except sponges, the zygote (fertilized egg
cell) undergoes cell divisions that form a hollow ball of
cells called a blastula.
Cells organized as tissues…
Cells within the blastula eventually develop into
three distinct layers of cells endoderm, ectoderm,
and mesoderm.
Tissues
- are groups of cells with a common structure that
work together to perform a specific function.
Body Symmetry
- All animals have their own particular body plan, a
term used to describe an animal’s shape,
symmetry, and internal organization.
Asymmetry
- Animals that grow in an irregular pattern, such as a
sponge, show asymmetry.
Radial Symmetry
- Animals with radial symmetry have body parts
arranged around a central axis.
Bilateral Symmetry
- Animals with bilateral symmetry have a distinct
right and left half, and most display cephalization.
Body Plans

Animals have one of three basic body plans:

acoelomate, pseudocoelomate, and coelomate.
Coelom
- a body cavity or a
fluid-filled space found
between the body wall
and the digestive tract
(gut).
This space is lined with
cells that come from
mesoderm.
 Coelomate
Coelomates are either protostomes or deuterostomes.

 Protostomes (first mouth)

blastopore develops into a mouth.
 Deuterostomes (second mouth)
blastopore develops into an anus
 Acoelomate

Animals with no body cavity are

called acoelomate.
The space between an acoelomate’s
body wall and gut is completely
filled with tissues.
 Pseudocoelomate

- have a body cavity located

between the mesoderm and
endoderm.

Their body cavity is called a

pseudocoelom (false coelom)
Segmentation
Segmentation in body structure underlies the
organization of all advanced animals.
 Some animals have their bodies divided into
segments.
 This allows them to specialize certain segments, such
as for antennae, eyes, claws, etc.

 Humans, insects, and

earthworms are examples of
segmented animals.
 Animal Phyla

There are 36 animal

phyla, which
contain an
extraordinary
range of body
forms and body
systems.
.
 Phylogenetic Tree
To visually represent the
relationships among
various groups of
animals, scientists often
use a type of branching
diagram called a
phylogenetic tree.
It shows how animals
are related through
evolution