ANIMAL CLASSIFICATION

• The scientific classification is divided into seven major groups:

  1. kingdom
  2. phylum or division
  3. class
  4. order
  5. family
  6. genus or genera
  7. species
• Carolus Linnaeus- father of modern biological classification or father of taxonomy
• the kingdom is the largest group, and a species is the smallest
• kingdom- the largest group
• phylum or division- second largest group
• class- all alike in important ways
• order- have more common with each other
• family- are more closely related to each other
• genus or genera- group of closely related species
• species- a group of organisms that can reproduce/ offspring
• Vertebrates


  are all creatures that belong to the vertebrata subphylum. they have members of the chordata phylum and have a backbone
• 6 vertebrates

  1. mammalia (mammals)
  2. reptilia (reptiles)
  3. amphibia (amphibians)
  4. agnatha
  5. osteichthyes
  6. chondrichthyes
• Mammalia- adapted to various conditions in terrestrial environment—they inhibit water, air and soil
• Reptilia- skin is covered with scales, most are egg laying
• Herpetology- study of reptiles
• ectotherms- cold blooded, must get heat from environment
• amphibia- needs to live in moist environment
• agnatha - jawless fish
• osteichthyes- bony fishes
• chondrichthyes- sea animals large in shape (shark)
• Invertebrates


  any animals that lack of vertebral column or backbone
• 8 invertebrates

  1. cnidaria (cnidarian)
  2. platyhelminthes (platyhelminth)
  3. nematoda (nematodes
  4. annelida (annelids
  5. echinodermata (echinoderms)
  6. mollusca (mollusks)
  7. anthropoda (anthropods)
  8. porifera
• cnidaria - stinging creatures
• platyhelminthes- flat worms
• nematoda- thread like or round worms
• annelida- ringed or segmented worms
• echinodermata- spiny skin
• mollusca- shell
• anthropoda- jointed foot
• porifera- sponges