Grouping of Animals

All animals can be classified as vertebrates (with backbones) and invertebrates (without backbones). Mouseover to reveal more and position the cursor within the boxes to keep them open.
BrainPOP Movies at Glencoe Online - Vertebrates  |  Invertebrates
"Classify the Animals" Activity   |   Classification of Plants   |   Interactive Science Worksheets © by Alan & Hui Meng
Animals
WITH backbones		 
Animals
WITHOUT backbones		 
  AMPHIBIANS 
  BIRDS 
  FISH 
  MAMMALS 
  REPTILES 
ARTHROPODS
(with jointed legs)		 
CNIDARIANS
- corals & jellyfish		 
ECHINODERMS
- starfish & sea urchins		 
MOLLUSCS or MOLLUSKS
- mussels, snails & squids		 
sponges 
worms 

  • cold-blooded and live in water

  • have gills for breathing, fins for swimming & scales which overlap in one direction

    Mudfish and catfish do not have scales but a tough leathery skin covered with slimy mucus.

  • have eyes but no eyelids

  • most fish lay eggs in water

    Exceptions: Guppy, molly and swordtail give birth to their young alive.
  

  • warm-blooded

  • have feathers, a beak, two legs & two wings

    Some birds e.g., penguins and ostriches don't fly.

  • all lay eggs with hard shells
  

  • warm-blooded

  • bodies covered with fur or hair

  • breathe through lungs

  • most give birth to live young

    Exceptions: platypus & spiny anteater lay eggs

  • females produce milk to feed their young

  • Examples: humans, whales, elephants & kangaroos
  

  • cold-blooded i.e., body temperature changes to match its surroundings

  • live in water & on land;
    lay jelly-coated eggs in water

  • generally breathe through lungs & skin

  • moist skin without any outer body covering

  • Examples: frogs, toads, newts & salamanders. Most are insectivores.
  

  • cold-blooded

  • dry, scaly skin

  • all lay shelled eggs

  • Examples: lizards, snakes, crocodiles & turtles
  
  INSECTS 
  ARACHNIDS 
  CRUSTACEANS 
  CENTIPEDES & MILLIPEDES  

  • have eight legs

  • have a two-segmented body

  • Examples: spiders & scorpions
  

  • covered by hard shells called exoskeletons

  • have 10-14 legs and two pairs of antennae

  • Examples: crabs, lobsters, crayfish, woodlice, water fleas & shrimps
  

  • have six legs & one pair of antennae

  • body divided into three parts [head, thorax & abdomen] and each part divided into segments

    Body protected by a layer of hard skin called cuticle or exoskeleton

  • Examples: cockroaches, beetles, bees & butterflies
  

  • no head or arms or legs

  • rooted in one place
  

  • have hollow bodies

  • some have small organs that sting
  

  • soft thin bodies

  • no legs
  

  • spiny skinned

  • have radial body symmetry - the body can be divided in multiple planes through its axis to give mirror image halves
  

  • have soft bodies and no bones

  • most have a muscular foot

  • usually enclosed in a hard shell