CHAPTER 4

ANIMAL KINGDOM
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KINGDOM ANIMALIA

• All members of kingdom – Animalia are multicellular, heterotrophic eukaryotes. But all of them do
not exhibit the same pattern of organisation of cells.
BASIS OF CLASSIFICATION
1. Level of organisation
a) Cellular level – the body consists of many cells arranged as loose aggregates but, the cells do
not form tissues.
b) Tissue level – the cells performing the same function are arranged into tissues.
c) Organ level – tissues are grouped together to form organs.
d) Organ system level – organs have associated to form functional system.
2. Digestive system
a) Incomplete – the digestive tract that has a single opening for both ingestion and egestion.
b) Complete – digestive tract with two external opening, one for ingestion and other for egestion.
3. Respiratory system – respiratory organ of an animal can be lung, gills, skin, etc.
4. Circulatory system
a) Close – when blood flows within the blood vessels
b) Open – blood flows in spaces and the sinuses are without proper boundaries.
5. Symmetry
a) Asymmetrical – any plane which passes through the centre does not divide the animal into
equal halves.
b) Radial symmetry – any plane which passes through the centre divides the animal into two equal
halves.
c) Bilateral symmetry – body can be divided into two equal halves only in one plane.
6. Diploblastic and triploblastic organisation
a) Diploblastic – animals in which the cells are arranged in two embryonic layers, an outer
ectoderm and an inner endoderm.
b) Triploblastic – animals in which the cells are arranged in three embryonic layers; an outer
ectoderm, a middle mesoderm, and an inner endoderm.
7. Coelom
a) Acoeomate – body cavity is absent.
b) Coelomate – animals having true coelom (body cavity between the body wall and the gut wall)
c) Pseudocoelomate – the body cavity is not lined by mesoderm.
8. Segmentation – the body is internally and externally divided into segments.
9. Notochord – rod like structure formed on the dorsal side during embryonic development in some
animals.
10. Monoecious/dioecious
a) Monoecious/hermaphrodite – when both male and female sex organs are present in same
individual.
b) Dioecious – the animal with either male or female sex organ.
11. Fertilization
a) Internal – fusion of male and female gametes takes place inside the body.
b) External – fusion of male and female gametes takes place outside the body.
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 12. Oviparous/viviparous
a) Oviparous – producing young ones by means of egg which are hatched after they have been
laid by the parent.
b) Viviparous – animals that give live birth and do not lay eggs.

Table 1. General characteristics of important phyla

Characterist Porifera Coelenterat Ctenophora Platyhelmin Aschelmint Annelida Arthropoda Mollusca Echinoderm Hemichorda Chordata
ics a thes hes ata ta

Level of cellular Tissue Tissue Organ and Organ Organ Organ Organ Organ Organ Organ
organisatio organ system system system system system system system
n system

Digestive Absent Incomplete Incomplete Incomplete Complete Complete Complete Complete Complete Complete Complete
system

Circulatory Absent Absent Absent Absent Absent Present, Present, Present. Present, Present, Present,
system closed open open open open closed

Respiratory Absent Absent Absent Absent Absent Present in Present, Present, Present. Present, Present,
system some, Skin Gills/ book Gills Gills or tube Gills slits Gills/lung
lung feet

Symmetry Asymmetric Radially Radially Bilateral Bilateral Bilateral Bilateral Bilateral Radial Bilateral Bilateral
al symmetrical symmetrical

Germ layers Absent Diploblastic Diploblastic Triploblastic Triploblastic Triploblastic Triploblastic Triploblastic Triploblastic Triploblastic Triploblastic

Coelom Acoelomate Acoelomate Acoelomate Acoelomate Pseudocoel Coelomate Coelomate Coelomate Coelomate Coelomate Coelomate
omate

Segmentati Absent Absent Absent Absent Absent Segmented Segmented Absent Absent Absent Absent
on

Notochord Absent Absent Absent Absent Absent Absent Absent Absent Absent Absent Present

Sexes Monoecious Monoecious Monoecious Monoecious Dioecious Mostly Mostly Monoecious Dioecious Dioecious Dioecious
/dioecious monoecious dioecious /dioecious

Oviparous Oviparous/V Oviparous Oviparous Oviparous Oviparous Mostly Oviparous Oviparous Oviparous Oviparous Viviparous
/viviparous iviparous /viviparous Oviparous

Fertilisation Internal Internal External Internal Internal External Internal Internal/ext External External Internal
and ernal
external

Developmen Indirect Indirect Indirect Indirect Direct Mostly Direct Direct/indir Indirect Indirect Direct
t direct ect

Examples Sycon, Physalia, Ctenoplana, Fasciola, Ascaris, Hirudinaria, Apis, Culex Sepia, Asterias, Balanogloss Aves,
Spongilla Adamsia Pleurobranc Taenia Anclostoma Neresis Loligo Echinus us Mammals
hia

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Table 2. Distinctive characteristics of important phyla

Phylum Distinctive characteristics

Porifera a) Porous body

b) Water enters through minute pores called ostia present in the body wall and
then into central cavity(spongocoel), from where it goes out from osculum.
c) Choanocytes lined the spongocoel.
d) The body is supported by a skeleton made up of spicules or spongin.

Coelenterata a) They exhibit two basic body forms – sessile form called polyp and free-living
form called medusae.
b) They have a single gastrovascular cavity with a single opening, mouth on
hypostome.
c) Cnidoblasts, cells with stinging capsules (nemaotcysts) are present on the
tentacles.

Ctenophora a) The body bears eight external rows of ciliated comb plates.

Platyhelminthes a) Dorso-ventrally flattened worm.

b) Hooks and suckers are present on the parasitic form.
c) Specialised cells called flame cells help in osmoregulation and excretion.

Aschelminthes a) Circular in cross section, hence the name roundworm.

b) Alimentary canal is complete with muscular pharynx.

Annelida a) Metamerically segmented.

b) Nephridia helps in osmoregulation and excretion.

Arthropoda a) The body is covered by chitinous exoskeleton.

b) The body consists of head, thorax, and abdomen.
c) They have jointed appendages.
d) Statocysts or balancing organs are present.
e) Excretion takes place through Malpighian tubules.

Mollusca a) Body is covered by calcareous shell.

b) Body divisible into head, visceral hump, and muscular foot.
c) Spongy layer of skin forms mantle over the visceral hump.

Echinodermata a) Presence of water vascular system which helps in locomotion, capture and
transport of food and respiration.

Hemichordate a) Body is composed of an anterior proboscis, a collar, and a long trunk.

Chordata a) Presence of notochord

b) Presence of hollow nerve cord
c) Presence of paired pharyngeal gill slits.

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Phylum Chordata

1. Class: Cyclostomata
(Cyclo – circular; stoma-opening/mouth; hence, the animals with circular mouth opening, are called
cyclostomates)
a) Characteristically, they have a circular, suctorial mouth, and are without jaws.
b) They are ectoparasites on other fishes.
c) Body lacks scales and paired fins.
d) Cranium and vertebral column are cartilaginous.
e) Animals are marine but move to fresh water for spawning; within a few days after spawning,
they die.
f) Examples – Myxine, Petromyzon

2. Class: Chondrichthyes
(These animals are commonly called cartilaginous fishes, as their skeleton is cartilaginous)
a) Body is streamlined with cartilaginous skeleton.
b) Body is covered by placoid scales.
c) Mouth is ventral, teeth are modified placoid scales and are pointed backwards.
d) Air-bladder is absent and animals have to swim constantly to avoid sinking.
e) Heart is two-chambered.
f) Animals are poikilotherms.
g) Some animals like Torpedo possess electric organs and some like Trygon possess poison sting.
h) Animals are dioecious; fertilisation is internal, and many are viviparous.
i) Examples – Scoliodon, Trygon, Pristis, etc.

3. Class: Osteichthyes
(Animals are called bony fishes as they have a bony endo-skeleton)
a) Body is streamlined with bony endo skeleton.
b) Body is covered by cycloid/ctenoid scales.
c) Air bladder is absent.
d) Heart is two chambered.
e) Animals are poikilotherms.
f) Animals are dioecious, fertilisation is external and development is direct.
g) Examples – Hippocampus, Labeo, Catla, etc

4. Class: Amphibian
(Animals show dual mode of life, terrestrial and in water)
a) Body is divided into head and trunk, and tail is present in some, neck is absent.
b) Skin is moist and has mucous glands.
c) Tympanum (ear drum) represents the ear.
d) Heart is three-chambered, with two auricles and two ventricles.
e) Animals are poikilotherms.
f) Respiration is by lungs on land, by water while in water and by gills in tadpoles.
g) Example – Rana, Salamandra, Bufo, etc.

5. Class: Reptilia
(Because of their creeping or crawling habit, (repere-to creep or crawl), animals are called reptiles).
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 a) Body is divisible into head, neck, trunk and tail.
b) Skin is dry without glands and body is covered by cornified skin or epidermal scales, called
scutes.
c) Tympanum represents the ear.
d) Heart is three-chambered, except crocodiles, where it is four chambered.
e) Animals are dioecious, fertilisation is internal, and they are oviparous, development is direct.
f) Example – Chameleon, Hemidactylus, etc.

6. Class: Aves
(Animals show aerial mode of life)
a) Body is divided into head, neck, trunk, and tail.
b) Body is covered by feathers, and they can fly except a few like ostrich.
c) Jaws are modified into beak, teeth are absent.
d) Skin is dry without glands, except at the base of the tail.
e) Forelimb are modified into wings and are covered by feathers.
f) Endoskeleton is bony and bones are hollow with air cavities; such bones are called pneumatic
bones.
g) Heart is four-chambered and there is double circulation.
h) Animals are homoiotherms.
i) Animals are dioecious and fertilisation is internal, and animals are oviparous, development is
direct.
j) Examples – Pavo, Corvos, etc.

7. Class: Mammalia
(Mammae – mammary glands, hence animals are called mammals).
a) The characteristic features of the class is the presence of mammary glands, the milk produced
by them is used to nourish the young ones.
b) Presence of hair on the body is also a unique feature.
c) External ear or pinnae are present.
d) Heart is four-chambered and there is double circulation.
e) Animals are homoiotherms.
f) Respiration is by lungs in, all irrespective of the habitat.
g) Fertilisation is internal and animals are viviparous.
h) Examples – Homo sapiens, Canis, Felis, etc.