Environmental Resources Unit Animal Wildlife Management

Problem Area Game Animals Management

Lesson Identifying & Classifying Game Animals

New Animal This animal is huge, it has wings and a trunk, and has six legs. This animal also eats only plants and can live in the water as well as on land. Give it a name. Who wants to share their name?

New Animal Now, lets say you are all scientists and you all have discovered the same thing, how are you going to know it is the same animal? How can the scientists share the information if they all call it by a different name?

Objectives Understand scientific classification. Distinguish between vertebrate and invertebrate animals. Describe groups of vertebrate animals. Describe groups of invertebrate animals.

Terms Amphibians Arachnids Birds Bivalves Class Common name Crustacean Exoskeleton Family Fish Gastropods Genus Insects Invertebrate Kingdom Mammals

Terms Mollusks Morphology Order Phylum Reptiles Scientific classification Scientific name Species Vertebrate Worms

What is scientific classification? Scientific classification System used worldwide that uses seven stages or levels to show relationships between organisms.

Seven levels of classification Kingdom—broadest level, it has 5 divisions animalia plantae, fungi protista monera

Levels of Classification Phylum—the next level, there are 14 phyla in the animal kingdom. Chordata phylum (deer, fish, snakes, etc.) Arthropoda phylum (ticks, insects, crawfish, etc.) Mollusca phylum (snails, oysters, clams, etc.)

Levels of Classification Class—the third level. Within the Chordata Phylum. Mammalia Reptilia Aves

Levels of Classification Orders—based on feeding characteristics. Wolves and foxes are in the Carnivore order of the Mammalian class.

Levels of Classification Family—groups of organisms that are further alike. Classification is often based on anatomical features. For example—wolves and foxes both have long noses and bushy tails. They belong to the Canidae family.

Levels of Classification Genus—composed of very similar groups of organisms. These groups do not naturally breed with each other.

Levels of Classification Species—contains very similar organisms. Organisms within the same species breed with each other. This group can be further broken into subspecies or breeds.

Scientific Classification System

Levels of Classification (Cont.) Common Name—How most people know animals. Many people call animals and various organisms by their common names. Example: Gray Wolf

Levels of Classification (Cont.) Scientific Name—Combination of the genus and species. To ensure that scientists are talking about the exact same animal, they use scientific names. Example: Canis lupus (Canis is the genus, and lupus is the species)

What are the differences between vertebrate and invertebrate animals? A common way of classifying animals is based on internal and external body structures. Morphology—study of internal and external body structures of organisms. Animals can be classified into vertebrates and invertebrates.

Vertebrates & Invertebrates Vertebrate—animal with a backbone. Other characteristics include: Two pairs of appendages (legs and/or arms). A three-segmented body (head, neck, & trunk). Brain at one end of the spinal cord. Some vertebrates have a tail at some point of their life.

Vertebrates & Invertebrates Invertebrates—animals that do not have a backbone. Often these animals have an exoskeleton. This is an external hard body covering which protects their internal organs and also their body.

What are the types of vertebrate animals? Mammals Fishes Birds Reptiles Amphibians

Mammals Animals that are covered with fur or hair. Regulate their internal body temperature. Their heart has four chambers. Females produce milk for the babies. Mammals can further be classified based on their digestive system. Monogastric animals—have a single compartment stomach Ruminant animals—have a four- compartment stomach.

Fishes Fish have an exterior covering of scales or skin. They have paired fins, and get oxygen from water through their gills. They adjust their body temperature to the surrounding water. Some fish lay infertile eggs, which are later fertilized by the male. Some others give birth to live young.

Birds They are covered with feathers. They have two sets of appendages. One set is used for flying (wings). The other set is for walking or swimming (legs). Birds lay fertile eggs.

Reptiles They have dry skin covered with scales. With the exception of snakes, reptiles have two sets of legs and five clawed toes on each leg. Reptiles lay thick walled fertile eggs.

Amphibians Animals that live in the water and on land. Their skin secretes mucus. They also have two sets of appendages Reproduction occurs in the water or very moist soil. The young go through a metamorphosis as they mature.

What are the types of invertebrate animals? Insects Crustaceans Mollusks Worms Arachnids

Insects Exoskeleton. Six legs. Most can fly. Lay fertile eggs. Young go through metamorphosis as they mature.

Crustaceans Very strong exoskeleton. Exoskeleton is shed as they grow. Four pairs of appendages. Two pairs of antennae on their heads.

Mollusks Small, soft bodied animals. No internal skeleton. Divided into either bivalves or gastropods. Bivalves - have a two part shell, like a clam. Gastropods – single part shells, like a snail. Usually found in salt water, but can also be found in fresh water and on land.

Worms Soft bodies, no legs, no antennae. Further broken down into groups of segmented worms, flatworms, and roundworms. Segmented worms—ex. earthworms and leeches. Flatworms—ex. flukes and tapeworms. Roundworms—ex. nematodes and pinworms.

Arachnids Four pairs of legs for walking. Two pairs of legs near their heads. Examples include spiders, ticks, mites, and scorpions.

Review / Summary What is scientific classification? What are the differences between vertebrate and invertebrate animals? What are the types of vertebrate animals? What are the types of invertebrate animals?