Animals
In
our surrounding, we find different type of animals ranging from mammals,
reptiles, birds, amphibian, insects and many other smaller forms.
Animals
may live on land or in water or fly in air depending upon its ability and nature,
Scientists
divide animals into groups, depending upon how they are alike and different.
Six
common groups of animals are
1.
Fishes 2. Amphibians
3.
Reptiles 4. Insects
5.
Birds 6. Mammals
3.1
Habitat of Animals
A
habitat is a place where living things live and they survive in that area.
Animals have basic needs; air, water, food, shelter and space.
Animals
live in habitats all over where they are adapted most. Grasslands, rivers,
ponds, trees, forests, deserts and Arctic tundra are used as habitat of
animals.
Habitat
of the animal can also be classified as follow
Land
Animals reside on the land and trees, e.g. mammals, birds, reptiles etc.,
Water
Animals reside in the water or water body. e.g. fishes, insects, crabs,
sponges, snakes etc.
Land
and Water Animals which resides and are able to reside in both land and
water is called amphibian, e.g. frog, tortoise, snakes, crocodile etc.
Animals
of Air Habitat Birds and insects.
3.2 Classification of Animals
Animals
are mostly multicellular organism present in kingdom Animalia or Metazoa.
Classification
Based on Body Structure
Animals
are categorised on the presence of vertebral column into vertebrates
(i)
Vertebrates animal having vertebral column/backbone e.g. Mammals, birds,
fish, reptiles and amphibian are included in the category of vertebrates,
(ii)
Non-vertebrates i.e. absence of vertebrates/back bone e.g. insects, crabs,
snails, starfish are examples of invertebrates.
Classification
Based on Nutrition
Autotrophs
These are organisms that produces complex organic compounds (carbohydrates)
from carbon dioxide and water present in atmosphere with the help of chlorophyll
and sunlight.
Heterotrophs
These are those organisms that cannot produce their own food but depend upon
plants and other organisms to survive.
Classification
Based on Cell
· Unicellular
organisms have single cell and rely over only cell for life processes. These
are also called single cell organism e.g. Amoeba, by Paramecium, Englena (they
can be seen by micro scope).
·
Multicellular organisms are organisms that consist of more than
one cell, in contrast to unicellular organisms. All species of animals, land
plants and most fungi are multicellular.
Classification Based on
Reproduction
Viviparous Animals These
are those animals which give birth to their live youngones zygote develop into youngones
inside the ovary of the female body, so chances of survival of youngone is more
due to proper embaryonic care and protection inside the mother's body e.g.
whale, dolphins, dog, cat, human beings etc.
Oviparous Animals These
lay fertilised or unfertilised eggs, after a period of incubation youngones
hatch out.
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