Animal Classification | Evolution | Biology | FuseSchool

Summary

This educational video delves into the animal kingdom, highlighting its classification into over 30 phyla with a focus on the five main ones: Arthropoda, Annelida, Mollusca, Nematoda, and Chordata. It distinguishes between vertebrates and invertebrates, using mnemonics like 'Auntie Anne makes nice cakes' and 'FMER Bob ate Mite rolls' to aid memory. The video clarifies that all vertebrates belong to the Chordata phylum, explaining characteristics of major vertebrate classes: fish, birds, amphibians, mammals, and reptiles. It also explores arthropods, emphasizing their exoskeleton and jointed legs, and differentiates between insects and arachnids, providing a comprehensive overview of animal classification.

Takeaways

• 🐛 All living things are categorized into five kingdoms, with the animal kingdom being one of them.
• 🔎 Before diving into the animal kingdom, it's helpful to understand the taxonomic ranks: Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, and Species.
• 🌐 There are over 7.5 million species of animals on Earth, with 900,000 of them described.
• 📚 Animals are classified into over 30 phyla, with the five main ones being Arthropoda, Annelida, Mollusca, Nematoda, and Chordata.
• 📝 An acronym to remember these five main phyla is 'Auntie Anne makes nice cakes', which stands for Arthropoda, Annelida, Mollusca, Nematoda, and Chordata.
• 🦴 A key distinction in the animal kingdom is whether animals have a backbone or not, classifying them as vertebrates or invertebrates.
• 🐟 Vertebrates are further divided into five well-known classes: Fish, Birds, Amphibians, Mammals, and Reptiles, which can be remembered by 'FMER Bob ate Mite rolls'.
• 🐇 Mammals are a class of vertebrates characterized by having fur or hair, feeding their young with milk, and being warm-blooded.
• 🕷️ Arthropods, one of the main phyla, are diverse and include insects, arachnids, and crustaceans, all having an exoskeleton and jointed legs.
• 🦎 Reptiles and amphibians can be confusing, but a key difference is that reptiles have scaly skin, breathe air, and usually live on land, while amphibians start in water and breathe with gills before developing lungs as they mature.

Q & A

How many kingdoms are living things grouped into?

Living things are grouped into five kingdoms.

What is the estimated number of animal species on Earth?

It is estimated that there are over 7.5 million species of animals on Earth.

How many of these animal species have been described?

Approximately 900,000 animal species have been described.

What are the nine most common phyla within the animal kingdom?

The script does not specify the nine most common phyla, but it mentions the five main ones: Arthropoda, Annelida, Mollusca, Nematoda, and Chordata.

What is the acronym to remember the five main animal phyla?

The acronym to remember the five main animal phyla is 'Auntie Anne makes nice cakes' which stands for Arthropoda, Annelida, Mollusca, Nematoda, and Chordata.

What is the difference between vertebrates and invertebrates?

Vertebrates have a backbone, while invertebrates do not.

What is a helpful mnemonic to remember the main classes of vertebrates?

The mnemonic to remember the main classes of vertebrates is 'FMER Bob ate Mite rolls', which stands for Fish, Mammals, Amphibians, Reptiles, and Birds.

What characteristic defines mammals among vertebrates?

Mammals are defined by having fur or hair, feeding their young on milk, and being warm-blooded.

How can you tell the difference between reptiles and amphibians?

Reptiles have scaly skin, breathe air, and usually live on land, while amphibians start in water, breathe with gills, and as they grow, they develop lungs and live on land.

What is the relationship between the phylum Chordata and vertebrates?

All vertebrates belong to the phylum Chordata, but not all members of Chordata are vertebrates.

What are some of the characteristics that define the five common classes of vertebrates?

Each class has different characteristics: fish are aquatic, birds have feathers, amphibians can live both in water and on land, mammals have fur or hair and are warm-blooded, and reptiles are cold-blooded and have scaly skin.