Kingdom Animalia: Key Characteristics of Phyla

Question 1

Characteristics of animals belonging to Phylum Porifera?

Answer 1

Fibrous, glassy skeleton that has pores for filtering food.
Body wall has two layers supported by spicules
Adults are usually connected to a solid object (i.e. Rock)

Question 2

Characteristics of animals belonging to Phylum Cnidaria?

Answer 2

Multicellular organisms; have a blind gut; stinging cells; two possible body shapes (medusa/polyp)

Question 3

Name the 3 worm phyla.

Answer 3

Ph. Platyhelminthes (flatworms)
Ph. Nematoda (roundworms)
Ph. Annelida (segmented worms)

Question 4

Characteristics of animals belonging to Phylum Platyhelminthes?

Answer 4

flatworms; unsegmented bodies; blind gut; can be free living or parasitic

Question 5

Characteristics of animals belonging to Phylum Nematoda?

Answer 5

roundworms (cylindrical, unsegmented body); one way gut; occur in almost every environment; can be free living or parasitic

Question 6

Characteristics of animals belonging to Phylum Annelida?

Answer 6

Segmented worms; one way gut; bodies with repeating, regular segments

Question 7

Name the 3 Arthropod Phyla.

Answer 7

Ph. Crustacea
Ph. Chelicerata
Ph. Uniramia
*The Arthropods all have exoskeletons and have jointed appendages.

Question 8

Characteristics of animals belonging to Phylum Crustacea?

Answer 8

2 pairs of antennae; one way gut; dorsal gut & circulatory system; ventral nerve chord

Question 9

Characteristics of animals belonging to Phylum Chelicerata?

Answer 9

8 legs; no antennae; two body segments (cephalothorax and abdomen)

Question 10

Characteristics of animals belonging to Phylum Uniramia?

Answer 10

One pair of antennae, can be divided into insects, centipedes, and millipedes (insects have 6 legs and 3 segments; centipedes have many segments with one pair of legs per segment; millipedes have many segments with two pairs or legs per segment)

Question 11

Characteristics of animals belonging to Phylum Mollusca?

Answer 11

Soft, unsegmented body; single muscular foot covered by mantle
Slugs- no skeleton
Snails- exoskeleton
Cuttlefish- endoskeleton

Question 12

Characteristics of animals belonging to Phylum Echinodermata?

Answer 12

Echino: spiky; derma: skin

Thin, spiny skin covering endoskeleton; have water filled tube feet for locomotion and feeding

Question 13

Name the three classes of fish (Ph. Chordata, Sub-Ph. Vertebrata) and give examples of each.

Answer 13

Class:
Agnatha (lamprey, hagfish)
Chondrichthyes (sharks, rays, skates)
Osteichthyes (any other fish)

Question 14

Name some other classes of Ph. Chordata and give examples of each.

Answer 14

Class:
Amphibia (frogs, toads, salamander, axolotl)
Reptilia (crocodiles, turtles, snakes, lizards)
Aves (all birds)
Mammalia (all mammals)

Question 15

What were the first animals on Earth?

Answer 15

Sponges

Question 16

Name the subclasses of Class Mammalia and state briefly their characteristics, with examples of each.

Answer 16

Subclass:
Monotremata: lay eggs (platypus, echidna)
Marsupialia: young are born as embryos & develop inside female’s pouch (kangaroo, bandicoot, possum)
Placentals: unborn are nourished inside the female by placenta (humans, cats, dogs; any other mammal)

Question 17

Characteristics of amphibians?

Answer 17

• skin with no scales
• jelly-like cover on eggs
• adults have lungs, but juveniles have gills
• ectothermic

Question 18

Characteristics of reptiles?

Answer 18

• dry, scaly skin
• most lay eggs with a leathery shell
• have lungs
• ectothermic

Question 19

Characteristics of birds?

Answer 19

• feathers instead or hair or fur
• toothless jaws
• scales on their feet
• endothermic
• have lungs

Question 20

Contrast arthropods with chordates.

Answer 20

Arthropods have exoskeletons; chordates have endoskeletons
Arthropods have dorsal guts (stomach/intestines) & circulatory systems and ventral nerve chords - contrary to chordates