Animal
| Animals Temporal range: Cryogenian – Present, 670–0Ma | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification | |
| (unranked): | Opisthokonta |
| (unranked): | Holozoa |
| (unranked): | Filozoa |
| Kingdom: | Animalia Linnaeus, 1758 |
| Phyla | |
| |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Animals are multicellular, eukaryotic organisms of the kingdomAnimalia (also called Metazoa). All animals are motile, meaning they can move spontaneously and independently, at some point in their lives. Their body plan eventually becomes fixed as they develop, although some undergo a process ofmetamorphosis later on in their lives. All animals areheterotrophs: they must ingest other organisms or their products for sustenance.
Most known animal phyla appeared in the fossil record as marine species during the Cambrian explosion, about 542 million years ago. Animals are divided into various sub-groups, some of which are: vertebrates (birds, mammals, amphibians,reptiles, fish); molluscs (clams, oysters, octopuses, squid,snails); arthropods (millipedes, centipedes, insects, spiders,scorpions, crabs, lobsters, shrimp); annelids (earthworms,leeches); cnidarians (jellyfish, anemones, corals); and sponges.
Etymology
The word "animal" comes from the Latin animalis, meaninghaving breath, having soul or living being.[1] In everyday non-scientific usage the word excludes humans – that is, "animal" is often used to refer only to non-human members of the kingdom Animalia; often, only closer relatives of humans such asmammals, or mammals and other vertebrates, are
Animal
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
For other uses, see Animal (disambiguation).
"Animalia" redirects here. For other uses, see Animalia (disambiguation).
| Animals Temporal range: Cryogenian – Present, 670–0Ma | |
|---|---|
| |
| Scientific classification | |
| (unranked): | Opisthokonta |
| (unranked): | Holozoa |
| (unranked): | Filozoa |
| Kingdom: | Animalia Linnaeus, 1758 |
| Phyla | |
| |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Animals are multicellular, eukaryotic organisms of the kingdomAnimalia (also called Metazoa). All animals are motile, meaning they can move spontaneously and independently, at some point in their lives. Their body plan eventually becomes fixed as they develop, although some undergo a process ofmetamorphosis later on in their lives. All animals areheterotrophs: they must ingest other organisms or their products for sustenance.
Most known animal phyla appeared in the fossil record as marine species during the Cambrian explosion, about 542 million years ago. Animals are divided into various sub-groups, some of which are: vertebrates (birds, mammals, amphibians,reptiles, fish); molluscs (clams, oysters, octopuses, squid,snails); arthropods (millipedes, centipedes, insects, spiders,scorpions, crabs, lobsters, shrimp); annelids (earthworms,leeches); cnidarians (jellyfish, anemones, corals); and sponges.
Contents
[hide]Etymology
The word "animal" comes from the Latin animalis, meaninghaving breath, having soul or living being.[1] In everyday non-scientific usage the word excludes humans – that is, "animal" is often used to refer only to non-human members of the kingdom Animalia; often, only closer relatives of humans such asmammals, or mammals and other vertebrates, are meant.[2]The biological definition of the word refers to all members of the kingdom Animalia, encompassing creatures as diverse assponges, jellyfish, insects, and humans.[3]
meant.[2]The biological definition of the word refers to all members of the kingdom Animalia, encompassing creatures as diverse assponges, jellyfish, insects, and humans.[3]
