Kingdom Animalia - Introduction and vital functions

1. Pablo León Cruz www.biogeosfera.es
KINGDOM ANIMALIA: INTRODUCTION AND VITAL FUNCTIONS

2. What are animals?
Animals are living beings with a wide variety of shapes, sizes
and structures that have allowed them to colonize virtually the
entire Earth. However, they all have several common features:
 Made of eukaryotic cells
 Multicellular organisms
 Have specialized organs and systems
 Heterotrophic nutrition
 Bilateral or radial symmetry
 Almost all have an internal or external skeleton
 Most can move actively

3. The vital functions of animals
Nutrition
The set of processes by which animals obtain the matter and
energy they need to live. Animals are heterotrophic, that is, they
feed on other living beings.
Depending on the food’s origin, animals can be herbivores (they
feed on plants), carnivores (they feed on animals) or omnivores
(they feed on plants and animals).

4. The vital functions of animals
Interaction
The set of processes by which animals can detect stimuli or
changes in the environment and respond to them. Most animals
have a more or les developed nervous system and sensory
organs that tend to cluster in the anterior part of the body (the
head). This process is called cephalization.

5. The vital functions of animals
Reproduction
The set of processes through which animals can have offspring.
Reproduction can be asexual (a single parent is needed from
which individuals identical to it are formed) or sexual (two
parents are needed, each providing their games to create an
individual with unique characteristics from both parents).
Depending on their embryonic Development, animals can be
oviparous, viviparous or ovoviviparous.

6. The classification of animals
Invertebrate Animals
Invertebrate animals have no spine, nor do they have an internal
skeleton, but some do have an external skeleton (exoskeleton).
 Porifera
 Cnidarians
 Worm-Shaped Animals
 Flatworms (Platyhelminthes)
 Nematodes
 Annelids
 Molluscs
 Arthropods
 Echinoderms

7. The classification of animals
Vertebrate Animals
Vertebrate animals do have a spine and all of them have an
internal skeleton (endoskeleton).
 Fish
 Amphibians
 Reptiles
 Bird
 Mammals

8. The classification of animals