ANIMAL KINGDOM:
CHAPTER AT A GLANCE
BASIS OF CLASSIFICATION
1. Levels of organization
- Cellular level: Loose cell aggregates. E.g. Porifera.
- Tissue level: Cells to tissues. E.g. Cnidaria & Ctenophora.
- Organ level: Tissues to organs. E.g. Platyhelminthes to chordates.
- Organ system level: Organs to organ systems. E.g. higher animals.
Arrangement of similar parts on either side of body.
- Asymmetrical: No symmetry. E.g. Most Poriferans, Snails.
- Radial symmetry: Body can be cut into 2 equal halves in any plane along central axis. E.g. some Poriferans, Cnidarians, Ctenophores & adult Echinoderms.
- Bilateral symmetry: Body can be cut into right & left halves in only one plane. E.g. Flatworms to Chordata (except adult Echinodermata).
- Diploblastic: Ectoderm & endoderm. E.g. Cnidaria & Ctenophora.
- Triploblastic: Ectoderm, mesoderm & endoderm. E.g. Flatworms to Chordata.
Cavity b/w body wall & gut wall.
- Acoelomate: No coelom. E.g. Porifera to Platyhelminthes.
- Pseudocoelomate: False coelom. E.g. Aschelminthes.
- Coelomate: True coelom. E.g. Annelida to Chordata.
- Segmentation.
- E.g. Annelids (earthworm etc.), Arthropods.
- Mesodermally derived rod on the dorsal side of embryo.
- Only in Chordata.
GENERAL CHARACTERS OF DIFFERENT PHYLA
1. Porifera (Sponges)
- Water canal system (water → ostia → spongocoel → osculum).
- Spongocoel & canals are lined with choanocytes (collar cells).
- Body is supported by spicules and spongin fibres.
- Examples: Sycon (Scypha), Spongilla (fresh water sponge), Euspongia (Bath sponge).
- Tentacles with cnidoblasts (stinging cells).
- Gastro-vascular cavity (coelenteron) with mouth on hypostome.
- Polyp & Medusa forms.
- Some shows alternation of generation (metagenesis).
- Examples: Hydra, Obelia, Aurelia, Physalia (Portuguese man of war), Adamsia (Sea-anemone).
3. Ctenophora (Comb jellies)
- Locomotion is by ciliated comb plates.
- Shows Bioluminescence (ability to emit light).
- Examples: Ctenoplana, Pleurobrachia.
- Unsegmented, dorso-ventrally flattened body.
- Excretion by Flame cells.
- Parasites have Hooks & suckers.
- Examples: Taenia solium (Tape worm), Fasciola (Liver fluke), Planaria.
- Pseudocoelomate.
- Body is circular in cross section.
- An excretory tube to remove waste through excretory pore.
- Females are longer than males.
- Examples: Ascaris (Roundworm), Ancylostoma (Hookworm), Wuchereria (Filarial worm).
6. Annelida (Segmented or Ringed worms)
- Segmentation like rings.
- Longitudinal & circular muscles help in locomotion.
- Closed type circulatory system.
- Locomotory organs: Setae (in earthworm) or parapodia (in Neries).
- Excretion by Nephridia.
- Examples: Pheretima (earthworm), Hirudinaria (Leech), Neries.
- Jointed appendages.
- Body has head, thorax & abdomen.
- Chitinous cuticle (exoskeleton).
- Excretion by Malpighian tubules.
- Sensory organs are antennae, compound & simple eyes, statocysts (balance organs).
- Economically important insects: Apis, Bombyx, Laccifer.
- Vectors: Mosquitoes, Housefly.
- Gregarious pest: Locusta.
- Living fossil: Limulus (King crab)
- Body has head, visceral hump & muscular foot.
- Head has sensory tentacles.
- Calcareous shell.
- Feather-like gills for respiration & excretion.
- Mantle & radula (rasping organ).
- Examples: Pila (Apple Snail), Pinctada (Pearl Oyster), Sepia (Cuttlefish), Loligo (Squid), Octopus (Devil fish).
9. Echinodermata (Spiny-skinned animals)
- Adults radial. Larvae bilateral.
- Endoskeleton of calcareous ossicles (Spiny bodied).
- Water vascular system for locomotion, food capture and respiration. Excretory system absent.
- Examples: Asterias (Starfish), Echinus (Sea Urchin), Echinocardium, Antedon (Sea Lily), Cucumaria (Sea Cucumber), Ophiura (Brittle Star).
- Body is formed of proboscis, collar & trunk.
- Collar bears stomochord.
- Excretion by Proboscis gland.
- Examples: Balanoglossus (Tongue worm), Saccoglossus.
Differences between Chordata & Non-Chordata
Chordata |
Non-Chordata |
1. Notochord |
Absent |
2.
Central nervous system is dorsal. |
Ventral |
3.
Pharyngeal gill slits |
Absent |
4.
A post-anal part (tail) |
Absent |
5. Ventral heart |
Dorsal heart |
Phylum Chordata is classified into 3 subphyla: Urochordata, Cephalochordata & Vertebrata.
UROCHORDATA
- Notochord present only in larval tail.
- E.g. Ascidia, Salpa, Doliolum.
- Notochord from head to tail region and is persistent throughout life.
- E.g. Branchiostoma (Amphioxus or Lancelet).
- Notochord during embryonic period.
- It is replaced by cartilaginous or bony vertebral column in the adult.
- Paired appendages (fins or limbs).
CLASSIFICATION OF VERTEBRATA
CLASS CYCLOSTOMATA
- All are ectoparasites on some fishes.
- Elongated body without scales and paired fins.
- Sucking and circular mouth without jaws.
- Cartilaginous cranium and vertebral column.
- Marine, but migrate for spawning to fresh water.
- E.g. Petromyzon (Lamprey) and Myxine (Hagfish).
SUPERCLASS PISCES (FISHES)
Class Chondricthyes (Cartilaginous fishes)
- Cartilaginous endoskeleton.
- Ventral mouth.
- Gill slits without operculum.
- Skin with placoid scales.
- No air bladder. So, needs to swim to avoid sinking.
- In males, pelvic fins bear claspers.
- Internal fertilization. Many are viviparous.
- Examples: Scoliodon (Dogfish), Pristis (Saw fish), Carcharodon (Great white shark), Trygon (Sting ray), Torpedo (Electric ray).
Class Osteichthyes (Bony fishes)
- Bony endoskeleton.
- Terminal mouth.
- 4 pairs of gills covered by operculum on each side.
- Scales are Cycloid, ctenoid etc.
- Air bladder for buoyancy.
- External fertilisation. Mostly oviparous.
Examples:
- Marine: Exocoetus (flying fish), Hippocampus (seahorse)
- Fresh water: Labeo (Rohu), Catla (Katla), Clarias (Magur).
- Aquarium: Betta (Fighting fish), Pterophyllum (Angel fish).
SUPERCLASS TETRAPODA
Class Amphibia
- Live in aquatic & terrestrial habitats.
- Need water for breeding.
- Moist skin without scales.
- Cloaca.
- Examples: Bufo, Rana, Hyla, Salamandra, Ichthyophis (Limbless amphibia).
Class Reptilia
- Dry & cornified skin.
- Epidermal scales or scutes.
- Crawling locomotion.
- Examples: Chelone, Testudo, Chameleon, Calotes, Crocodilus, Alligator, Hemidactylus, Naja, Bangarus, Vipera.
Class Aves (Birds)
- Feathers, beak & wings.
- Dry skin without glands except oil gland at tail base.
- Hind limbs have scales.
- Pneumatic bones.
- Digestive tract has crop & gizzard.
- Examples: Corvus, Columba, Psittacula, Struthio.
Class Mammalia
- Mammary glands.
- Skin with hair.
- Teeth different types.
- Viviparous.
- Examples: Ornithorhynchus, Macropus, Pteropus, Camelus, Macaca, Rattus, Canis, Felis, Elephas, Equus.