THE ANIMAL KINGDOM

BASIC CHARACTERISTICS OF ANIMALS:

1. MULTICELLULAR ORGANISMS
2. CAPABILITY OF LOCOMOTION
3. MUST INJEST FOOD

NINE ANIMAL PHYLA

INVERTEBRATES: (8 PHYLA)
ALL LACK INTERNAL SKELETON, SOME HAVE
EXOSKELTON OR SHELL
VERTEBRATES (CORDATES): (1 phylum)
INTERNAL SKELETON MADE OF BONE/ CARTILAGE
1. PORIFERA:
SIMPLEST ANIMALS

NO TISSUE LAYERS

EXAMPLES: SPONGES
2. CNIDARIA
HOLLOW BODY
HAVE STINGING CELLS
TWO BODY FORMS
MEDUSA & POLYP
EXAMPLES:
CORAL, JELLYFISH,
SEA ANEMONE
3. PLATYHELMINTHES:

EXAMPLES:
PLANARIA, FLUKE, TAPEWORM

UNSEGMENTED WORMS
FLAT WORMS
4. NEMATODA
UNSEGMENTED WORMS
ROUND WORMS

EXAMPLES: HOOKWORMS,
HEARTWORMS
5. ANNELIDA
SEGMENTED WORMS
MOST ADVANCED WORMS

EXAMPLES:
LEECH, EARTHWORMS
 6. ARTHROPODA
SEGMENTED ANIMALS
EXOSKELETONS MADE OF CHITIN
CLASS CRUSTACEAN - MARINE
ORGANISMS

EXAMPLES:
SHRIMP,
LOBSTER,
CRAB,
BARNACLE
7. MOLLUSCA
SOME HAVE SHELL
UNSEGMENTED, SOFT BODIES

EXAMPLES: SNAIL, SCALLOP

 8. ECHINODERMATA
HAVE A DERMAL SKELETON WITH
SPINES & PLATES
ONLY LIVE IN MARINE ENVIRONMENT

EXAMPLES: SEA URCHIN,

SEASTAR, BRITTLE STAR

9. CHORDATA
EXAMPLES:
FISH, REPTILES,
BIRDS, AMPHIBIANS,
MAMMALS

HAVE INTERNAL SKELETON

BACKBONE TO PROTECT
SPINAL CORD
Features
1. Defining Characteristics
• What makes that phylum special?

2. Symmetry
• Bilateral, radial, or none

3. Level of complexity
• Based on the Hierarchy of Biological Order

4. Brain
• Brain or neural systems possessed by the phyla
Features
5. Circulatory System
• How does “stuff” move around the body?

6. Diet / Digestive
• How does it eat and digest food?

7. Respiration
• Does it breathe?

6. Movement
• Does it have feet? A tail? Is it stationary?
Porifera
• Defining characteristics:
• Porous, aquatic, basic creatures

• Symmetry:
• Usually none

• Complexity
• No tissues – collections of cells

• Brain
• None.
Porifera
• Circulatory
• None.

• Diet
• Filter feeder
• Takes bits of nutrition from the water it absorbs

• Respiration
• No major system. Gaseous exchange through cell membranes.

• Movement
• Mostly stationary, or reliant on water
Examples
Cnidaria
• Defining characteristics:
• Aquatic creatures with stinging cells and two body types (medusa
and polyp)

• Symmetry:
• Radial

• Complexity
• Two simple tissue layers

• Brain
• Nervous system that controls basic movement and digestion
Cnidaria
• Circulatory
• Open system
• Fluid is left to swirl around the innards

• Diet
• Predator
• Eats and excretes through the same center opening
• Most basic creature with a digestive gut

• Respiration
• Internal cavity also used for gas exchange

• Movement
• Use tentacle waves to move
Examples
Echinodermata and Mollusca
Arthropoda
• Defining characteristics:
• Exoskeleton, jointed limbs, segmented bodies
• Largest Phylum by diversity

• Symmetry:
• Bilateral

• Complexity
• Segmented bodies with organ systems

• Brain
• Full brains with nerve cords
Arthropoda
• Circulatory
• Open system
• Fluid is left to swirl around the innards

• Diet
• Predator
• Full digestive system

• Respiration
• “Book lungs” or gills

• Movement
• Have jointed appendages for movement
Examples
Annelida
• Defining characteristics:
• Fully segmented body
• Means that every segment is (nearly) identical to the one before
or after

• Symmetry:
• Bilateral / Segments

• Complexity
• Segmented bodies with organ systems

• Brain
• Small “control centers” with nerves
Annelida
• Circulatory
• Blood vessels with (occasionally) multiple hearts

• Diet
• Omnivores or detritivores

• Respiration
• Gills or breathe through skin

• Movement
• Some have feet, others extend and contract their body/muscles
Examples
Chordates
• Pick a subphyla:

1. Fish
2. Amphibians
3. Reptiles
4. Birds
5. Mammals

Write three sentences about what sets your subphyla apart from
the others. What is special about yours? Is it more or less
advanced than the others?
Platyhelminthes
• Defining characteristics:
• Mostly flattened, with no body cavity, and are usually parasitic

• Symmetry:
• Bilateral

• Complexity
• Very basic organ systems

• Brain
• No “brain” but a nerve cord that branches throughout the body
Platyhelminthes
• Circulatory
• None

• Diet
• Predators that eat smaller organisms
• Mouth is used for eating and excreting

• Respiration
• No respiratory system.

• Movement
• Movement achieved by wiggling their body in aquatic
environments
Examples
Nematoda
• Defining characteristics:
• 2nd most diverse by species
• Worm like, with a full body cavity and full digestive system

• Symmetry:
• Bilateral

• Complexity
• Organ systems

• Brain
• Circular ring of nerves for brain
Nematoda
• Circulatory
• None – Transfer by diffusion

• Diet
• Most basic phylum with a full digestive system

• Respiration
• “Breathes” through skin

• Movement
• Movement achieved by wiggling their body in aquatic
environments
Examples