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Animal Kingdom - planetpedia

There are about two million living species in the Animal kingdom and all have some features in common. All animals are multi-celled organisms, they can move the whole or part of the body, swallow food, get rid of their own waste material and they can reproduce. The variety of animals is amazing : sponges, bees, snakes, elephants, butterflies, parrots, birds, fishes etc.
Vertebrates, including fish, reptiles, amphibians, mammals, and birds, represent only 1.1% of all species of animals, whilst arthropods, a class of insects, crustaceans, arachnids, has over one million species!

Classification

Vertebrates

This classification divides animals into two large groups

  • Vertebrates
  • Invertebrates

Vertebrates:- Animals with a spine or backbone.
Invertebrates:- Animals without a spine or backbone.

Phylum

Phylum is the term for a major group of animals. There are 35 phyla. The main ones are Chordata(vertebrates), Cnidaria(invertebrates), Porifera(sponges), Molluscs(octopus), Coelenterate(jellyfish), Arthropods(spiders,insects), Echinodermata(starfish).

Class

Class is the term for a minor group of animals. The Chordata phylum splits up into Mammalia (Mammals), Actinopterygii (Bony Fish), Chondrichthyes (Cartilaginous Fish), Aves (Birds), Amphibia (Amphibians) and Reptilia (Reptiles). Chordata phylum splits up into Arachnida(spiders), Crustacea(crabs), Hexopoda(insects).

Order

Each class is divided into small groups again, known as orders. The class Mammalia (Mammals), splits into different groups including Carnivora, Primate, Artiodactyla and Rodentia. The class Aves (birds), splits into different groups including Struthioniformes Tinamiformes Galliformes Ciconiiformes etc.

Family

In every order, there are different families of animals which all have very similar features. The Carnivora order breaks into families that include Felidae (Cats), Canidae (Dogs), and Ursidae (Bears).

Genus

Every animal family is then divided into small groups known as genus. Each genus contains animals that have very similar features and are closely related. For example, the Felidae (Cat) family contains genus including Felis (small Cats and domestic Cats), Panthera (Tigers, Leopards, Jaguars and Lions) and Puma (Panthers and Cougars).

Species

Each individual species within the genus is named after it's individual features and characteristics. The names of animals are in Latin so that they can be understood worldwide, and consist of two words. The first word in the name of an animal will be the genus, and the second name indicates the specific species.

Intersting things about Animal Kingdom

  • There are over 9000 known species of bids.
  • Reptiles comprise one of the largest group of animals, with over 6000 species.
  • There are about 4200 species of amphibians.
  • There are more than 23000 species of fish in many shapes, colours, sizes.
  • There are about 4600 species in the group of mammals.

What How Why

What is a leap Year?

It takes the Earth 365 days and six hours to orbit around the Sun. The Six extra hours cannot be counted on the calander. So, to keep an accurate count, an extra day is added at the end of february every four years.

What How Why

What are the most precious stones?

When the magma cools, the material which it contains solidifies in the form of crystals. Precious stones are crystals with particular characteristics of colour, hardness and the way they can reflect the light. They are used in making jewellery.

What How Why

How is the height of a mountain measured?

To measure the height of mountain, the surface of the sea is taken as the point of reference. The height of the mountain is the distance between the top of the mountain and the surface of the sea.

What How Why

What is an electric current?

An electric current is a passage of electrons from one electrified body to another which is less charged. When too many electrons are generated, they can move.

What How Why

Why does iron go rusty?

Rust forms on the surface of iron objects when they are exposed to the air. It is the product of a chemical reaction called oxidization. The more the object is exposed to the air, the more rapidly rust spreads.

What How Why

How fast can a dog run?

A Greyhound can run at a speed of 64km per hour, a Weimaraner , once used for hunting wolves and wild boar, can reach speed of up to 56 km per hour in a chase. Many breeds of dog which were once bred for hunting are now more common as pets than hunting Dogs.