Kingdom Animalia Phyla + Chordata Classes

Animal Phylums + Chordata Classes

Porifera

Phylum of sponges. They lack true tissues and organs (cellular level of organization). Mostly asymmetrical, considered functionally diploblastic, and are acoelomate. Poriferans are sessile filter feeders.

Cnidaria

Phylum that includes jellyfish, corals, and sea anemones. They have radially symmetrical body forms, possess specialized cells called cnidocytes for capturing prey, and typically have a two-stage life cycle with polyp and medusa forms. They are diploblastic and is without a coelomate.

Platyhelminthes

Phylum of flatworms, including planarians, flukes, and tapeworms. They exhibit bilateral symmetry, are triploblastic, and are acoelomate, with a flattened body plan and a tendency toward cephalization.

Nematoda

Phylum of roundworms characterized by a complete digestive system and a pseudocoelom. They exhibit bilateral symmetry, are triploblastic, and have a diverse range of lifestyles, including free-living and parasitic forms.

Annelida

Phylum of segmented worms, including earthworms and leeches. They exhibit bilateral symmetry, are triploblastic and coelomate, with a body divided into segments, allowing for greater flexibility and specialization.

Tardigrada

Phylum of water bears, microscopic animals known for their resilience to extreme conditions. They possess a segmented body and exhibit a unique ability to survive in harsh environments, including extreme temperatures and radiation. Symmetrically bilateral, triploblastic, and coelomates.

Mollusca

Phylum of soft-bodied animals, often with a hard shell. They include snails, clams, and octopuses, exhibiting diverse body forms and lifestyles. They possess a coelom and are triploblastic, featuring a muscular foot, a visceral mass, and a mantle that often secretes a shell. They are also bilaterally symmetrical.

Arthropoda

Phylum characterized by jointed legs, exoskeletons made of chitin, and segmented bodies. Arthropods include insects, arachnids, and crustaceans, showcasing incredible diversity, adaptability, and the ability to inhabit various environments. Bilaterally symmetrical, triploblastic, and coelomates.

Echinodermata

Phylum of marine animals known for their radial symmetry and a water vascular system. They include sea stars, sea urchins, and sea cucumbers, and exhibit a unique regenerative ability. Triploblastic and coelomates.

Chordata

Phylum that includes animals with a notochord, dorsal nerve cord, pharyngeal slits, and a post-anal tail at some stage of development. This group encompasses vertebrates such as mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and fish. Bilaterally symmetrical, triploblastic, and coelomates.

Class Agnatha

Class of jawless fish, including lampreys and hagfish, characterized by their cylindrical bodies and a notochord. They possess gills for respiration and have a vertebrate-like structure. Agnatha have sucker mouths and no jaw.

Class Chondrichthyes

Class of cartilaginous fish, including sharks, rays, and skates, characterized by a skeleton made of cartilage rather than bone. They have paired fins, a streamlined body, and are generally predatory, possessing multiple rows of teeth. They have multiple gills

Class Osteichthyes

Class of bony fish, characterized by a skeleton composed primarily of bone rather than cartilage. Osteichthyes include a vast array of fish species, many of which have a swim bladder for buoyancy, and they exhibit varied reproductive strategies. One gill on each side.

Class Amphibia

Class of animals that live both in water and on land, characterized by a life cycle that includes an aquatic larvae stage and a terrestrial adult stage. Typically have moist skin and undergo metamorphosis.

Class Repitilia

Class of reptiles, characterized by scaly skin, the ability to lay eggs on land, and a cold-blooded metabolism. This class includes snakes, lizards, turtles, and crocodilians, with adaptations for life both in terrestrial and aquatic environments. Amniotic egg and scales-feathers

Class Mammalia

Class of warm-blooded vertebrates characterized by the presence of mammary glands, hair or fur, and a highly developed brain. Typically give birth to live young (with exceptions like monotremes) and exhibit diverse reproductive strategies.