Week 4: Classification of living things (Continuation)

Tracheophyta

Tracheophytes are known as vascular plants since they have vessels (vascular

tissues) for conducting water and food. They are divided into the Division

Pteridophyta and the Division Spermatophyta.

Division Pteridophyta

These are vascular none-flowering spore producing plants. They possess

vascular tissues for conducting water and food. They are known as land plants

although few are aquatic. Examples are ferns and mosses.

N/B: The bryophytes and pteridophyte both undergo alternation of generation

between a haploid gametophyte stage and a diploid sporophyte stage. In the

bryophyte the gametophyte is dominant but in pteridophyte, the sporophyte stage is

dominant.

Division Spermatophyta

These are vascular seed bearing plants having well-developed roots, stem and

leaves. Their seeds develop from embryos. Spermatophyte are divided into two

classes:

1. Gymnosperm
2. Angiosperm

Gymnosperm

These are non-flowering plants. Their seeds are not enclosed in an ovary or fruit.

They have cones were naked seeds are formed. They are exposed on the surface of

a leaf-like structure. Examples are whistling pine (casuarina sp.), conifers and

cycas.

Angiosperm

They are flowering plants that produce seed. They are further divided into

monocotyledon and dicotyledon.

i. They possess true flowers for sexual reproduction.

ii. They possess well developed true root, stems and leaves.

Iii. They have well developed vascular bundles.

iv. seeds and fruits are produced after fertilization. Seeds are enclosed in an ovary.

v. They are terrestrial but few are aquatic.

Difference between dicotyledon and monocotyledon

Dicotyledon Monocotyledon

1. Flowers occurs in parts of fours or Flowers occurs in parts of threes.

 fives.

2. Embryos consist of two cotyledons. Embryo is made up of one cotyledon.

3. Leaves are net veined Leaves are parallel veined

4. Tap root present Possess fibrous root

5. Vascular bundles occur in rings in Vascular bundles scattered in the stem

the stems structure. structure.

6. Secondary growth occurs. Absence of secondary growth.

Assignment: Draw and label a maize plant

Kingdom Animalia

All animals belong to this kingdom. They include the vertebrates and the

invertebrates. They are divided into the following phyla: porifera, coelentrata,

Platyhelminthes, nematode, annelida, Arthropoda, Mollusca, Echinodermata and

Chordata (which is the vertebrates).

Phylum Porifera (sponges)

1. They are multicellular level of organization.

2. They are sessile (they do not move but water current moves through them).

3. they are diploblastic (composed of two cell layers).

4. reproduction is both sexual (gametes) and asexual (budding).

5. They are radially symmetrical

Examples are Scypha, Leucosolemia, syconoids etc.

Phylum Coelenterata

These are multicellular animals with two body layer (diploblastic). They are at

tissue level of organization.

1. they are aquatic.

2. they are radially

3. they have only one body cavity called enteron

4. there is only one body opening. No anus

5. mouth is surrounded by tentacles.

6. Examples are Obelia, Hydra, sea anemone, physalia etc

Phylum Platyhelminthes (flatworms)

1. They have dorsoventrally flattened bodies hence they are called flatworms.

2. They are bilaterally symmetrical

3. They do not have a body cavity (acoelomate).

4. They have three germ layers (triploblastic).

 5. Some are free living e.g planaria while others are parasitic e.g liver fluke.

Phylum Nematoda (roundworm)

They are thread-like and cylindrical without body cavity. Their alimentary canal

has two openings, the mouth and the anus. Many of them are parasites e.g. planaria

which live in ponds and streams while others are parasitic in nature such as flukes

and tapeworms.

Phylum Annelida (segmented worms)

1. The body is segmented.

2. The body is long and cylindrical

3. They possess true body cavity (coelomates) with a distinct head.

4. The alimentary canal has two openings, the mouth and the anus.

5. They reproduce sexually and many are hermaphrodites.

6. Examples are earthworm, leech, tubeworm etc.

Phylum Mollusca

1. They have soft unsegmented bodies with tentacles.

2. Some have shells e.g snails, mussels and squid whereas others have no shells

e.g. slug and have internal shell such as octopus and sefia. The major

mineral present in their shell is calcium.

3. They breathe through skin and gills.

Phylum Echinodermata

1. They are all marine organisms.

2. They are radially symmetrical in adult but bilaterally symmetrical in larvae.

3. Most of them are star shaped.

4. They are triploblastic animals i.e. they have three body layer.

5. They possess tough spiny and calcareous exoskeleton.

6. Examples are sea urchin, bristle star, star fish and sea cucumber.

Phylum Arthropoda

This is the most successful phylum in terms of diversity and also the largest

present in the animal kingdom.

1. They have segmented bodies

2. Presence of exoskeleton. They shade their exoskeleton at intervals, a process

called moulting or ecdysis.

3. They are triploblastic (three body layers)

4. They are coelomates (have true body cavity).

5. They are bilaterally symmetrical.

6. Their body is usually divided into three regions (head, thorax and abdomen)

but in some the head and thorax are fused together forming a cephalothorax.
The phylum Arthropoda is divided into the following classes:

1. Class Crustacean e.g. crab, crayfish, lobsters

2. Class Insecta e.g. cockroach, butterfly, housefly

3. Class Arachnida e.g. scorpion, mites, ticks, spider

4. Class Myriapoda e.g. centipede (diplopoda) and millipede (chilopoda)

Differences between crustaceans, insects and arachnids

Features Crustaceans e.g. Insects e.g Arachnid e.g

crab cockroach spider

Body division 2 i.e. cephathorax 3 i.e. head, thorax 2 i.e. prosoma and

and abdomen and abdomen opistoma

Wings Absent Present Absent

Antenna 2 pairs A pair None

Eye A pair of stalked A pair of Eight simple eyes

eyes compound eyes

Walking legs 5 pairs of jointed 3 pairs of jointed 4 pair of jointed

legs legs legs

Respiratory organ Gills Trachea Lung books

Phylum Chordata

The chordata are the most advance phylum in the animal kingdom. They are

animals with backbone (vertebral column). They are divided into five classes:

Pisces, Amphibian, Reptilia, Aves and Mammalia.

Class Pisces

1. They are aquatic

2. Their body is covered with scales but few are without scales

3. They have fins used for movement in water.

4. They are poikilothermic (cold blooded)

5. They have gills used for gaseous exchange

6. Reproduction is sexual and fertilization is external.

7. They are oviparous (lay eggs)

8. They have a two chambered heart.

Class Amphibian

1. They are poikilothermic

2. They have two pairs of limbs- forelimbs and hind limbs. There is presence

of webbed toes in hind limbs.

3. They possess moist soft skin without scales.

4. Fertilization is external
 5. The young ones (tadpoles) are herbivorous while adults are carnivorous.

6. Their heart is three chambered in larval stage and three chambered in adult

stage.

7. Breathing is by gills in larval stage and lungs, skin and mouth in adult stage.

8. They do not show parental care e.g. toad, frog, salamander etc.

Class Reptilia

1. They are poikilothermic

2. They have dry skin covered with scale

3. They have two pairs of limbs except snakes

4. Some are aquatic e.g. crocodile and turtle while others are terrestrial e.g

lizards, snake and chameleon.

5. They have lungs for gaseous exchange

6. Reproduction is sexual and fertilization is internal.

7. They are oviparous (female lay fertilized eggs)

8. They have homodont dentition (same kind of teeth)

9. The heart is three chambered except crocodile with four chambered heart.

10.Parental care is absent.

Class Aves

1. They are homoithermic

2. Their bodies are covered with feathers except their legs and feet which are

covered with scales

3. Their forelimbs are modified as wings for flight.

4. Their mouth is modified into horny toothless beak.

5. Their bones are porous light and in some cases filled with air

6. They use lungs for respiration

7. They exhibit oviparous mode of reproduction.

8. The heart is four chambered.

9. They show parental care for the young ones.

Examples are pigeon, domestic fowl, ducks, ostrich etc

Class Mammalia

1. They are homoeothermic

2. Their bodies are covered with hairs

3. They have heterodont dentition

4. They use lungs for gaseous exchange

5. They use mammary gland which produce milk in adult

 6. They are viviparous i.e the young ones are born at advance stage of

development. However, the monotremes (e.g platypus and echidnas) lay

eggs which hatch into young ones that are nourished by milk secreted by

mammary gland.

7. The heart is four chambered

8. They have a well-developed brain

9. They show parental care

Examples include bat, man, cat, dog whale etc