Animal Characteristics

All animals have similarities and differences.  Their similarities consist of being heterotrphcic, ingesting food, sexually reproducing, and being primarily diploid (containing chromosomes from each parent).  The ways in which they differ are they way they develop and how they are classified in regards to a phyla tree.

Each animal reproduces basically the same way; Zygote-Blastula-Gastrula, but the way they develop is quite different depending on the organism.  All animals will either develop quickly through a process called Metamorphosis, or gradually and slow, just like humans do.  The outcome of the development differs, only because when tissues are formed they create different systems and functions within an animal.




Vertebrate: Reptile



Invertebrate: Jellyfish



As a part of the Animal Kingdom, there are two different ways to classify animals; either Invertebrate or Vertebrate.  Invertebrates do not have a presence of a backbone.  They take up the majority of phylum's on the phyla tree.  Platyhelmines, Nematoda, Annelida, Mollusca, Arthropoda, and Echinodermata, are all phylum's in which Invertebrates are.  On the other hand, Vertebrates only take up one phylum on the tree; the Chordata.  Examples of each kingdom are down above.