2 Animal

Classification
There is a vast diversity among animals that live in our environment.
It is easy to study about them by classifying organisms, based on different criteria.
Categorizing animals in a systematic way by considering their common
features is known as animal classification.
Animals can be classified on different criteria.
In grade 7 you learnt how to classify animals based on presence or absence of a
vertebral column (backbone).
Let us do Activity 2.1 from the knowledge and facts you learnt in grade 7.

Activity 2. 1
Method:-
² Observe given pictures of the animals living in your surroundings.
² Divide and tabulate them into two groups using the feature, presence or
absence of a vertebral column.

Snail Crab Yellow fin tuna

Dog Cock Butterfly

Python Spider Lion

Figure 2.1

12 Science | Animal Classification

Among those animals yellow fin tuna, dog, cock, python and lion have a back bone.
Snail, crab, butterfly and spider do not have a backbone.
The animals without a back bone / vertebral column are known as invertebrates
while the animals with a back bone / vertebral column are known as vertebrates.
Therefore, animals can be classified into two groups;

² Invertebrates
² Vertebrates

2.1 Main invertebrate groups

Engage in Assignment 2.1 to study about invertebrates.

Assignment 2.1
² Observe given diagrams of the invertebrate animal species.
² Classify them based on different criteria.

Leech Bivalve Beetle

Sea anemone Dragonfly slug

Figure 2.2

You have already classified the animals based on different criteria.

Science | Animal Classification 13

Invertebrates are scientifically classified by using their common features.
Some of the groups are given below.
1. Cnidaria
2. Annelida
3. Mollusca
4. Arthropoda

Let us consider the features of each of the above groups.

Cnidaria
The animals belong to Cnidaria are predators and live in water. Hydra, sea anemone,
jellyfish are some examples for the group of Cnidaria.

Hydra Sea anemone Jellyfish

Figure 2.3 Some Cnidarians
The features of Cnidaria are given below.
² Cnidarians have radially symmetrical
body. (a basic body plan in which the Tentacles
organism can be divided into similar
Mouth
halves by passing a plane at any along a
central axis).
² There are two forms as Polyps and
Medusa. (Polyps are fixed to the substrate
and lead a sedentary life while Medusa
are free swimming organisms) Figure 2.4 Body form of
² They cripple small creatures with their Cnidarian (Hydra)
special tentacles having cnidocytes and use them as food.

14 Science | Animal Classification

 For extra knowledge
The coral polyps belong to the
Cnidaria group build up coral reefs.

Annelida
Annelids live in both marine and fresh water environments as well as in wet
terrestial environments.
Earthworm, leech, Nereis are some examples for Annelids.

Earthworm Leech Nereis

Figure 2.5 Some Annelids

Common features of Annelids are given below.

² Body is bilaterally symmetrical. (a basic body plan Segments
in which the left and right sides of the organism can
be divided into approximate mirror image of each
other along the midline.) Mouth
Anus
² They are vermiform (worm-like body shape). Figure 2.6 Body form of
an Annelid (earthworm)
² Body consists of segments. Therefore, known as
segmented worms.

Mollusca
Molluscs live in terrestial, marine and fresh water environment. Snail, bivalve,
chiton, slug, cuttle fish, octopus are some examples for Molluscs.

Snail Bivalve Octopus

Figure 2.7 Some Molluscs

Science | Animal Classification 15

The features of Molluscs are given below.
² They are bilaterally symmetrical. Shell Antenna

² Soft bodied animals. Mouth

² Possess a muscular foot.
² Possess a skin moistened with Muscular foot
mucus. Figure 2.8 Body form of a molluscs (Snail)

² Some Molluscs bear shells.

Arthropoda
Arthropods live in terrestial as well as in aquatic environments. Arthropoda is the
group to which the highest number of animals belongs. Insects, spiders, scorpions,
millipedes, centipedes, prawns, crabs are some organisms that belong to the group
Arthropoda.

Butterfly Scorpion Centipede Prawn

Figure 2.9 Some Arthropods

Features of Arthropods are given below. Eyes

² Arthropods are bilaterally symmetrical. Antenna

² Their body possesses an external skeleton/
exoskeleton. Wings
² Some species possess wings.
Jointed
² Arthropods have externally segmented body. appendages
² All Arthropods have jointed appendages.
Figure 2.10 Body features of an
Arthropoda (Insects)

16 Science | Animal Classification

 Assignment 2.2
² Collect the bodies of dead insects.
² Get a box (wood, metal or card board) and fix a
piece of styrofoam to the bottom of the box.
² Fix the bodies on the styrofoam using long pins.
² Paste a name tag for each insect. (Discuss with your
teacher how to keep the bodies of insects without
Figure 2.11 Insect box
decaying)

2.2 Main vertebrate groups

Engage in Assignment 2.3 to study about vertebrates.

Assignment 2.3
² Observe the given pictures of different vertebrate animal species.
² Classify them using different criteria.

Blue fin tuna Turtle Crocodile

Common commorant Toad Hawk

Bat Chimpanzee Salamander

Figure 2.12

Science | Animal Classification 17

Now you can classify vertebrates based on different criteria.
Vertebrates can be scientifically classified depending on their common features.
Let us discuss the features of each of these groups.
1. Pisces
2. Amphibia
3. Reptilia
4. Aves
5. Mammalia

Pisces
Fish, the group of animals well adapted to live in water belong to Pisces. Tilapia,
skate, shark, blue fin tuna, sear, gold stripped sardine, sprat are some fish that belong
to Pisces.

Tilapiya Skate Shark Blue fin tuna

Figure 2.13 Some Pisces

Features of Pisces are given below.

² Body is invariably streamlined. This feature helps them to swim through water.
² The body is covered with scales.
² Has fins to swim through water and to balance while swimming.
² Breathe using gills.
² Possess eyes without eye lids.
Amphibia
Amphibians spend part of their life cycle in water. Frogs, toads, salamanders,
ichthyophis are some animals that belong to the group Amphibians.

Frog Toad Salamander Ichthyophis

Figure 2.14 Some Amphibians

18 Science | Animal Classification

Features of Amphibians are given below.
² Undergo metamorphosis.
² Skin is thin, moist and glandular. No scales in the skin.
² Some species use limbs for locomotion.
² Respiration is carried out by lungs, through wet skin or mouth.
Reptilia
Reptiles belong to this group. They are well-adapted for the terrestrial environment.
Tortoise, turtle, cobra, python, viper, krait, lizard, monitor, iguana, crocodile belong
to this group.

Tortoise Crocodile Cobra Viper

Figure 2.15 Some Reptiles

Features of Reptilia are given below.

² Possess a dry skin with scales. No glands are present in the skin.
² Use limbs for locomotion. But some reptiles are limbless. They are adapted for
crawling
² Breathe using lungs.
Aves
Birds belong to the group Aves. They are well-adapted for flying. Blue magpie,
swan, owl, parrot are some examples for Aves.

Swan Owl

Parrot Blue magpie

Figure 2.16 Some Aves
Science | Animal Classification 19
Features of Aves are given below.
² Streamlined body is designed for flying.
² Body is covered with feathers.
² Possess limbs for locomotion. Forelimbs are adapted as wings.
² They do not have teeth but the beak is adapted for feeding.
² Breathe using lungs.

For extra knowledge

There are some birds that cannot fly. Some examples are given below.

Ostrich Rhea Emu

Casowery Penguin Kiwi

Mammalia

These animals feed on mother's milk. Man, rat, loris, orangutan, gorilla, chimpanzee,
bat, whale, dolphin, stag, deer are some examples for mammals.

20 Science | Animal Classification

 Gorilla Dolphin

Deer Loris
Figure 2.17 Some Mammals

Features of Mammalia are given below.

² Has mammary glands.
² Skin has sweat glands, sebaceous glands and hair.
² Possess an external ear.
² Mammals have lungs to breathe.

Assignment 2.4
² Collect some pictures of mammals.
² Collect information about them.
² Prepare a booklet allocating one page for each animal. (Consider about the
cover page, foreword, contents, acknowledgement etc.)

By studying this lesson, you have identified that there is a wide diversity among
animals. You can further study about them by visiting zoological gardens and wildlife
parks. All animals contribute immensely to maintain the balance of environment.

Science | Animal Classification 21

 Summary
² There is a vast diversity among animals in the environment.
² Animals with a backbone / vertebral column are known as Vertebrates and
animals without a back bone / vertebral column are known as Invertebrates.
² Considering the common features, invertebrates can be classified into different
groups. Cnidaria, Annelida, Mollusca and Arthropoda are some groups of
Invertebrates.
² Considering the common features, vertebrates can be classified into different
groups as Pisces, Amphibia, Reptilia, Aves and Mammalia.

Exercise

1. Select the most suitable answer.

i' The group of animals, not belong to invertebrate is ?
1' Annelida 2' Cnidaria
3' Amphibia 4' Arthropoda

ii. The group with a most number of animals is,

1' Aves 2' Athropoda
3' Mollusca 4' Mammalia

iii. An animal belonging to Reptilia group is,

1' Shark 2' Salamander
3' Whale 4' Turtle

2. Fill in the blanks.

i' Sea anemone belongs to ''''''''''''''''''''''''' group.

ii' Possessing segmented appendages is a feature of ''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' group.
iii …………………….. breathe using lungs, wet skin and the mouth.

22 Science | Animal Classification

3. Name the invertebrate group that bears each of the features given below.

i' Muscular foot - '''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

ii' Worm-like segmented body - '''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
iii' Jointed appendages - '''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
iv' Radial symmetry - '''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

4. Write down the answers.

i' Name two forms of Cnidaria with an example for each form.
ii' Name four Arthropods that can fly.
iii. Give three basic features of Mammalia group.
iv. Give three basic features of Aves group.

Technical Terms
Classification - j¾.SlrKh - £õS£õk
Radial symmetry - wÍh iuñ;sh - Bøμa \©a^º
Bilateral symmetry - oaúmd¾Yaúl iuñ;sh - C¸£UPa \©a^º
Morphological features - rEmSh ,laIK - E¸Á¯À C¯À¦PÒ
Invertebrates - wmDIaGjxYSka - •ÒÍ¢usi¼PÒ
Vertebrates - mDIaGjxYSka - •ÒÍ¢uskÎPÒ
Cnidaria - ksvdßhdjka - {hõ›¯õ / SÈUSh¼PÒ
Annelida - wefk,svd - AÚ¼hõ / xsh¨ ¦ÊUPÒ
Mollusca - fud¨iald - ö©õ»ìPõ / ö©ßÝh¼PÒ
Arthropoda - wdf;%dfmdavd - Bzvμ¨÷£õhõ / ‰mkUPõ¼PÒ
Pisces - msiaflaia - ¤ìéì / «ßPÒ
Amphibia - weï*sìhd - A®¤¯õ / D¹hPÁõÈPÒ
Reptilia - frmaà,shd - öμ¨Ÿ¼¯õ / FºÁÚ
Aves - wdfõia - B÷Áì / £ÓøÁPÒ
Mammalia - uefï,shd - ©÷©¼¯õ / £õ¿miPÒ

Science | Animal Classification 23