PRACTICAL

1 : INTRODUCTION TO KINGDOM ANIMALIA

OBJECTIVES:
1. To recognize some major phylum of Kingdom Animalia and their distinguishing
characteristics.
2. To identify the characteristics of invertebrate animals in each phyla.

The largest kingdom in terms of the number of different kinds of species is Kingdom Animalia.
Animals are represented by a very diverse array of sizes, shapes and forms from very simple
to extremely complex, including the “human animal”. All animals are multicellular
heterotrophs. Most animals have cells differentiated into highly complex tissues and organs.
Whereas plants had tissue systems and relatively simple vegetative and reproductive organs,
animals have complex tissues forming organs and elaborate organ systems. The greater
specialization of cells and tissues increases the efficiency by which animals can carry out life’s
basic processes and allows for almost limitless opportunities for evolutionary variations and
adaptations to numerous kinds of habitats and environmental conditions.

Members of the Animal Kingdom are distinguished by sharing the following major
characteristics:
1. Multicellular, eukaryotic organisms
2. Cells with no cell wall or chloroplasts and more mitochondria
3. Cells differentiated into complex tissues: epithelial, connective, muscular, nervous
4. Tissues differentiated into complex organs and organ systems.
5. Heterotrophic nutrition (herbivores, carnivores, saprobes)
6. Most are much more active and have a much higher metabolism than members of any
other kingdom
7. Require free oxygen for energy production
8. Extra energy usually stored as fats & oils
9. Most are motile at some point in their life cycle
10. Reproduce both sexually and asexually, animals show a great diversity in kinds of
reproduction. some with well developed alternation of generations.
11. Most have a relatively complex developmental phase including an embryonic or a larval
stage as they progress from zygote to adult
12. Most have fairly elaborate behaviours to enhance their survival within their habitat

A. PHYLUM PORIFERA
Sponge is a diverse group of sometimes common types with about 5000 species known
across the world. Sponges are primarily marine, however about 150 species live in
freshwater. Sponges have cellular-level organization, meaning that their cells are
speciallized so that different cells perform different functions. Other characteristics of
sponges include a system of pores and canals through which water passes. Water
movementis driven by the beating of flagellae, which are located on specialized cells
called choanocytes. Sponges are either radially symmetrical or asymmetrical.

B. PHYLUM CNIDARIA
Mostly marine animals (Obelia sp., sea anemones, corals). A few species are freshwater
animals (Hydra sp.). Radially symmetry, diploblastic (two layers) animals with tentacles.
 Special characteristic is nematocysts or stinging cells. The body wall consists of an
epidermis (outer layer), the endodermis (inner layer) and mesoglea (in between the two
layers).

C. PHYLUM PLATYHELMINTHES
Triploblastic animal. Body flattened dorso-ventrally. Do not possess a coelom
(acoelomate). Have a distinct head and tail. Incomplete digestive systems that have only
one opening. Bilaterlly symmetrical. Hermaphrodite, complex reproductive system.
Includes free living and parasitic animals.

D. PHYLUM NEMATODES
Triploblatic animals. The epidermis secretes a tough covering if cuticle. It can be found as
free-living animals or parasites. Nematodes includes roundworms such as Ascaris sp. and
Meladogyne sp. It is the most widespread invertebrates and found almost everywhere. It
looks similar to annelids but are completely unsegmented and pseudocoelom (false
coelum).

E. ANNELIDAS
Triploblastic animals. Possess true coelom and each coelom is divided by septae between
the body segments. Each segment is called a metamer. Have a gut or intestine with a
mouth and anus, a blood vascular system and a nervous system which includes a brain
and a ventral nerve chord. An important characteristics is the presence of hair-like
bristles called chaetae. Generally hermaphrodites. 3 classes (Polychaeta, Oligochaeta and
Hirudinea).

F. PHYLUM ARTHROPODA
Arthropods have jointed appendages and an exoskeleton. The exoskeleton has three
layers. The lipoprotein outer layer provides water proofing. The chitin middle layer
provides hard protection. The flexible inner layer allows movement. Their bodies are
segmented. There are over 700, 000 species of insects. While they are relatively small in
size compared to many animal groups, they are well adapted to their environments. Most
insects live on land. All insects grow from eggs. They go through various stages until they
reach adulthood. This transformation through these stages is called metamorphosis.
Insects undergo either complete or incomplete metamorphosis. The dragonfly, termite,
grasshopper and true bug undergo incomplete metamorphosis. Insects like the butterfly,
bee, ant, beetle and fly undergo complete metamorphosis.


(a) Complete metamorphosis (b) Incomplete Metamorphosis

G. PHYLUM MOLLUSCA
There are about 110,000 species known to science most of which are marine. They
occupy a vast range of habitats however both aquatic and terrestrial, from the arctic seas
to small tropical streams and from valleys to mountainsides 7,000 metres high. Most
species secrete a shell of some sort, these shells are long lasting and have been collected
by human beings for thousands of years, some of these shells, and the pearls which come
from oysters, which are also molluscs may be among the earliest forms of money.
Molluscs of many sorts are eaten by humans clams, mussels, octopus, oysters, scallops,
snails, slugs, squid, and many more are all molluscs and all make there contribution to
the human diet. Many molluscs are fished or cultured for food. Pearls are cultured from
oysters and clams. This makes them one of the most economically important
invertebrates though some molluscs are pests due to their destructiveness.

H. PHYLUM ECHINODERMATA

Echinoderms are exclusively marine. They occur in various habitats from the intertidal
zone downto the bottom of the deep sea trenches and from sand to rubble to coral reefs
and in cold and tropical seas. They are one of the best known and most loved groups of
invertebrates. They are popular as symbols because of their unique shapes and beautiful
colours.














Name : ____________________________________
Matric No. : ____________________________________


Answer all questions:

A. Specimen observations

1. Corals

a) Observe the specimen of coral.
b) Identify the structures and

characteristics.

c) Draw and label your observation.






(4 marks)
2. Planaria sp.

a) Examine the specimen of Planaria
sp.

b) Identify the structures and

characteristics.
c) Draw and label your observation.





(4 marks)
3. Pheretima sp.

a) Examine the specimen of Pheretima
sp.

b) Identify the structure and

characteristics.
c) Draw and label your observation.





(4 marks)
 4. Freshwater mussels:
a) Observe and examine the specimen of
Anodonta sp.
b) Identify the internal organs
c) Draw and label your observation.






(4 marks)
5. Digestive system of Grasshopper

a) Examine the photograph of digestive
system of grasshopper.
b) Identify the structures and
characteristics.
c) Draw and label your observation.





(4 marks)
Total Marks /20 marks

With the aid of diagram, distinguish between complete and incomplete metamorphosis.
(10 marks)

B. DISSECTION ROTATION
(EACH GROUP WILL DISSECT ONLY ONE ANIMAL, BUT NEED TO COMPLETE ALL THE
INFORMATION FOR OTHER ANIMALS)
1. MICE/RAT
2. FISH
3. FROG

LABEL ORGAN IDENTIFICATION LABEL ORGAN IDENTIFICATION

1 7


2 8


3 9


4 10


5 11


6 12


Measuring the small intestine. Remove the small intestine from the body cavity and
carefully stretch it out and measure it. Now measure the fish length. Record the
measurements below in centimeters.

Rat/Mice Length: __________cm Intestine Length: ___________cm



FISH

LABEL ORGAN IDENTIFICATION LABEL ORGAN IDENTIFICATION
A H

B I

C J

D K

E L

F M

G N


Measuring the small intestine. Remove the small intestine from the body cavity and
carefully stretch it out and measure it. Now measure the fish length. Record the
measurements below in centimeters.

Fish Length: __________cm Intestine Length: ___________cm






FROG

Measuring the small intestine. Remove the small intestine from the body cavity and
carefully stretch it out and measure it. Now measure the fish length. Record the
measurements below in centimeters.

Fish Length: __________cm Intestine Length: ___________cm


 APPENDIX I
DISSECTION OF MICE/RAT

1. Lay the deceased mouse on its back. Use a piece of cardboard as the backboard for the mouse. The
dissection will be started in the abdomen area. Secure the mouse on its backside with small nails
or pins. If no pins or nails are available then good, strong tape will do just fine. This will keep the
mouse in one place while you make the incisions.

2. Cut down the center of the body from the neck to the lower abdomen first. Make two additional
cuts creating the image of a capital letter "I." This will create the doors to the mouse's insides.

3. Open the mouse's doors. Be careful to not tear the skin. Only open as much as the cut pieces will
allow. If this is not enough then close the mouse and make larger incisions. Do not take a deep
breath at this time. There may be a bit of a foul odor. Use paper towels to clean up any blood or
bodily juices that may emerge.

Read more : http://www.ehow.com/how_2104794_dissect-mouse.html

1. Locate the diaphragm and the heart is centrally located in the thoracic cavity. The thymus gland,
may be visible at the upper part of the heart.

2. The lungs are spongy organs that lie on either side of the heart and should take up most of the
thoracic cavity. They lie closer to the back of the rat, you will need to push the ribs to the side to
find them.

3. A sheet of muscle can be found just under the heart (and above the liver) - this is the diaphragm.
This muscle is only found in mammals. (The diaphragm may have been cut when you opened the
thoracic cavity.)

4. Locate the liver, which is a dark colored organ suspended just under the diaphragm. It has four
lobes.

5. Find the stomach, its a curved organ lying just under the liver. At the top of the stomach you can
see the esophagus where it pierces the diaphragm and joins the stomach. Lifting the stomach up
may reveal a bumpy glandular organ: the pancreas.

6. The spleen is about the same color as the liver and is attached to the greater curvature of the
stomach.

7. The small intestine is a slender coiled tube that receives partially digested food from the stomach
(via the pyloric sphincter). It consists of three sections: duodenum, jejunum and ileum, (Listed in
order from the stomach to the large intestine.) The duodenum is recognizable as the first stretch
of the intestine leading from the stomach, it is mostly straight. The jejunum and ileum are both
curly parts of the intestine, with the ileum being the last section before the small intestine becomes
the large intestine.

8. Locate the colon, which is the large greenish tube that extends from the small intestine and leads
to the anus. The colon is also known as the large intestine and it consists of four sections.

APPENDIX II
DISSECTION OF FISH

1. Place the fish on its side in the dissection pan, belly towards you, head pointing to your right.
Insert a pair of sharp dissection scissors into the vent and make a shallow cut up to and
between the pectoral fins all the way to where the opercula meet.

2. Locate the heart. It will be in the cavity anterior to the pectoral fins. Use the scissors to snip
the aorta (large, white tube on top of the heart) and remove the heart.

3. The large, brownish organ in the body cavity posterior to the pectoral fins is the liver. It is
used to synthesize and secrete the essential nutrients that were contained in the food. It plays
a part in maintaining the proper levels of blood chemicals and sugars. The gall bladder, which
is attached to the liver, contains green bile which in part is used to help digest fats.

4. Locate and remove the alimentary canal. It starts at the esophagus which is connected to the
mouth and ends at the intestines at the vent. Once removed, locate the following:

a) Esophagus: muscular tube that moves food from the mouth to the stomach
b) Stomach: a saclike organ that receives the food from the esophagus; mechanical
digestion occurs here
c) Intestines: tube running from the vent to the stomach; chemical digestion and nutrient
absorption occurs here

5. The air bladder is the only remaining organ in the body cavity. It is a whitish organ and the fish
use it to control their buoyancy. They can inflate or deflate it with gas. Remove the air bladder.

6. The dark red line along the backbone is the kidney. The forward part of the kidney of a fish
functions to replace red blood cells, and the rearward part filters waste out of the blood. The
kidney can be removed by slicing through the membrane along each side.

7. Clean up by disposing of the fish, cleaning the dissection materials and wiping down your lab
area

 APPENDIX III
DISSECTION OF FROG