Classification of

Animals

What is an animal?

• Animals are multicellular organisms that

eat other organisms for food.

How do we classify

animals?

• Animals are classified by breaking them into smaller groups based on their similarities and differences.

• Some questions scientists ask: – Do they have a backbone?

– What kind of skin do they have?

– Are they warm or cold blooded?

– How do they breathe?

– How are they born?

How do we break animals

into groups?

• Animals are broken into two large groups:

Vertebrates and Invertebrates

• Vertebrates have a backbone.

Vertebrates make up 5% of all animals.

• Invertebrates do not have a backbone.

They make up 95% of all animals.

Invertebrate Classes

• Mollusks

• Annelids

• Echinoderm

• Arthropod

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Some Examples of

Invertebrates

• Mollusks – snails, clams, oysters, squid

• Annelids - earthworms, clamworms,

leeches

• Echinoderm – sea stars, sand dollars, sea

urchins

• Arthropods – insects, spiders,

scorpions, lobsters, ticks

What about Vertebrates?

• Vertebrates are broken into five groups

(classes): Fish, Reptiles, Birds,

Mammals, and Amphibians.

What makes a fish a fish?

• Fish usually…

– Have scales

– Use gills to breathe

– Are hatched from eggs

– Are cold blooded

Some Examples of Fish

• Piranha

• Shark

• Angelfish

• Seahorse

• Stingray

• Eel

• Tuna

What makes a reptile a

reptile?

• Reptiles usually…

– Have scales

– Use lungs to breathe

– Hatched from eggs

– Are cold blooded

Some Examples of Reptiles

• Alligators

• Crocodiles

• Snakes

• Lizards

• Turtles

• Tortoises

• Geckos

What makes a bird a bird?

• Birds usually…

– Have feathers

– Use lungs to breathe

– Are hatched from eggs

– Are warm blooded

Some Examples of Birds

• Penguin

• Ostrich

• Toucan

• Crane

• Owl

• Goose

• Hummingbird

What makes a mammal a

mammal?

• Mammals usually…

– Have hair

– Use lungs to breathe

– Are born live (not hatched from eggs)

– Are warm blooded

Some Examples of Mammals

• Whales

• Dolphins

• Cats

• Dogs

• Gorillas

• Horses

• Wolves

What makes an amphibian

an amphibian?

• Amphibians usually… – Have moist

smooth skin

– Use gills when young and lungs as adults

– Hatched from eggs

– Are cold blooded

Some Examples of

Amphibians

• Frogs

• Newts

• Toads

• Salamander

• Caecillian