Facts About Animalia

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All animals belong to a group or “kingdom,” which is known as Animalia. There are innumerable species of animals, but they all belong to the Animalia Kingdom.

Fact 1 – Features of Animalia

The Animalia Kingdom is comprised of about one million species of animals that share certain characteristics. Animals are multicellular, eukaryotic organisms that obtain nutrition mostly from organic sources. The cells of plants and fungi do not have any rigid cell walls, but the structural proteins, known as collagen, hold the animal cells together. Apart from sponges, animals have cells that are organized into tissues and perform special functions.

Fact 2 – Characteristics

All animals in the Animalia Kingdom share certain common characteristics. Those characteristics are:

  1. Animals have multiple cells and are eukaryotic, and they depend on other organisms for their existence;
  2. There are about 9 to 10 million species of animals that live on the earth. Among them, only 800,000 are known;
  3. Adult animals develop from small masses of cells called “embryos”;
  4. Small animals have the ability of regenerating their missing parts; and
  5. Most of the animals take in all the food together and digest it later.

Fact 3 – Animal Phyla

According to biologists, there are about 36 different phyla (divisions) in the Animalia Kingdom. The most common ones are:

  1. Animals move faster than plants and other organisms. Those that are rooted to one place are known as “sessile,” and others are called “motile”;
  2. Most animals reproduce by means of sperm and eggs, and the adult cells consist of two genetic materials;
  3. They vary in size starting from the tiniest ants to the huge blue whales. They can live in the sea, in fresh water, and on land; and
  4. The tissues of animals together form special organs, and these organs form the organ systems that develop into organisms.

Fact 4 – Various Internal Systems of Animals

Animals have several internal systems that work together to maintain life and grow into new life. They are:

The Skeletal System consists of bones, cartilage, or shells. The system shapes and supports the body. Some are vertebrates (have backbones), while others are invertebrates;

The Muscular System is responsible for all types of movements, and the muscles are attached to the bones. The types of muscular systems are not the same in all living creatures—earthworms have unilateral muscular systems, humans have bilateral systems, and starfish have a radial type of muscular system;

The Circulatory System takes care of the distribution of blood and oxygen to the various parts of the body. The system helps pump blood to and through the heart, and it moves a clear fluid (lymph) that aids in cleansing the blood. Some animals have both open and closed circulatory systems, while others have just a closed system;

The Respiratory System is present in both humans and animals but with a slight difference. In the Animalia Kingdom especially, the marine creatures use their gills to inhale as well as exhale air;

The Digestive System starts working from the intake of food through the mouth. It then passes it to the stomach, intestines, and so on. The nutrients are broken down to be absorbed for the functioning of the body. However, there are minor differences in each group: birds have a gullet, amoeba and paramecium have vacuoles, whereas the sponges are filter feeders;

The Excretory System’s purpose is the removal of wastes from the kidneys;

The Nervous System is responsible for controlling the movements of the eyes and coordinating the organ systems—like the brain, spinal cord, and nerves—for accurate understanding; and

The Reproductive System is present in all animals regardless of whether they are vertebrates or invertebrates. However, the methods will vary: birds and fish lay eggs, but marsupials and other chordates have live births of young ones.

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