Lesson 3

Animals
How do you classify animals?
Purpose
A dichotomous key lists traits of
organisms. It gives directions that lead
you to an organism’s identity.
Create a dichotomous key to identify the
animals shown.

Procedure
Christmas tree worm Observe Look at the animals shown. What
features do they have? How can you use these
features to classify them?
Make a key. The key should include a series of
yes or no questions that can help you identify the
animals.
Start your key with a general question. Make
each additional question eliminate at least one
animal. For example, you might start by asking “Is
this animal able to move by itself from place to
place?” If the animal is a worm, you would answer
“Yes,” and move on. If the animal is a sponge, you
would answer “No.”
Keep writing questions until you can single out
one animal in your key.
Communicate Exchange keys with a partner.
Use their key to identify an animal.

Draw Conclusions
Infer Could you use your key
to identify other animals? Explain.

Explore More
How would you change your key to make it
more useful? Which questions would you
These strange-looking organisms are actually change? Which questions would you keep
the same?
animals. What characteristics do all animals
have? How do you determine whether an
organism is an animal?

Building block lesson for LS-3. Trace the organization of simple food chains and SWK-1. Summarize how conclusions and ideas change as new knowledge is gained.
50 51
food webs ...
ENGAGE EXPLORE
 What are simple invertebrates? flatworm

You learned that invertebrates are animals that

Main Idea LS-3
Form, structure, and
behavior can all be used
to divide animals into
classification groups.
do not have a backbone. They can live on land or in
the water. Most lower invertebrates live in aquatic
environments, which are filled with water or are segmented
worm
moist. The lower invertebrates include sponges,
cnidarians (nye•DAYR•ee•uhnz), and worms.

Vocabulary Sponges
asymmetrical, p. 52 Sponges are animals that have no true roundworm
radial symmetry, p. 52 organization. Sponges are the only animals without
bilateral symmetry, p. 53 real tissues or organs. They are also asymmetrical
monotreme, p. 58 (ay•si•MET•ri cuhl). An asymmetrical body plan
marsupial, p. 58 cannot be divided into mirror images.
placental mammal, p. 58
The sponge body structure is arranged around
a single tunnel-like canal. The tissue surrounding
-Glossary the canal is filled with lots of tiny pores, or holes. Cnidarians have a mouth, tentacles,
at www.macmillanmh.com
The word pore gives sponges their phylum name— muscle tissues, and stinger cells. When
Reading Skill Porifera (paw•RIF•uhr•uh). All members of the phylum they hunt, their stingers shoot out like
Main Idea and Details Porifera live in water. tiny harpoons. The poison inside these
cells helps them capture other animals.
Roundworms, or nematodes
Main Idea Details
Cnidarians Once stung, the dart-like stinger cells
(NEM•uh•tohdz), have simple digestive
Jellyfish, sea anemones, corals, and hydras are hold the victim while tentacles move it
and nervous systems. Roundworms are
all cnidarians. Cnidarians are soft-bodied, aquatic toward the animal’s mouth.
some of the most abundant animals on
creatures. Unlike sponges, they have radial symmetry Earth. Like flatworms, they often live
(RAY•dee•uhl SIM•uh•tree). Radial symmetry is a Worms inside the bodies of other animals.
body plan in which all body parts of an organism are There are three main worm
Segmented worms, or annelids
arranged around a central point. An organism with groups: flatworms, roundworms, and
(AN•uh•lidz), have a body plan that
radial symmetry has more than one line segmented worms. All worms have
is divided into sections, or segments.
sponge that divides the organism bilateral symmetry (bye•LAT•uhr•uhl).
They have a two-way digestive system
into two mirror images. Bilateral symmetry is a body plan in
and organs, including a stomach, heart,
which an organism can be divided
and brain.
along only one plane of their body to
produce two mirror images. Quick Check
Flatworms, or platyhelminthes Main Idea and Details What are
(plat•uh•HEL•minths), have a flat body
some lower invertebrates?
and a head with simple eyes and a
mouth. With only one body opening, Critical Thinking Which
undigested food must leave the characteristics do scientists use to
sea anemone flatworm’s body through its mouth. classify cnidarians?

52 53
EXPLAIN EXPLAIN
What are complex
invertebrates?
Invertebrates include a very diverse
group of animals that live in many
different environments. Some of these
animals have specialized organs and
complex body structures. Mollusks,
echinoderms, and arthropods are phyla
with very different characteristics.
Mollusks
All mollusks share the same body
plan. They have a muscular foot or
tentacles, a fold of tissue called the
mantle, and a mass of internal
organs. They all have bilateral
symmetry. Mollusks include
snails, clams, and squids. Almost
all mollusks have a shell, which is
secreted by the mantle.
Mollusks have several specialized
organs, including a heart, gills for
breathing, and a well-developed
nervous system. The squid and octopus
have extremely good eyesight and a
very large brain.
Echinoderms
Echinoderms include sea stars,
sea urchins, and sea cucumbers.
Echinoderms have a hardened skeleton
garden snail
54
EXPLAIN
blue sea star
located inside the body called an
endoskeleton (en•doh•SKEH•luh•tun).
Spines from the endoskeleton often
poke through their thin, bumpy skin.
Echinoderms usually have radial
symmetry.
Echinoderms use a water pressure
system that helps them feed, breathe,
and move. Seawater enters the system
and moves to different parts of the
animal’s body under pressure. The
system ends in the echinoderm’s many
tube feet, which cling to surfaces like
small suction cups.
Starfish are called
sea stars.
Arthropods
Read a Photo
Arthropods What do arthropods have in common?
Clue: Look at the basic body plan of
Arthropods are the most numerous both arthropods. What features do
animal group on Earth. More than they share?
half of the world’s animal species
are arthropods, including spiders,
crabs, and insects. Arthropods have
a very efficient body plan. They are
small and light with a hard skeleton
on the outside of the body called an
exoskeleton (ek•so•SKEH•luh•tun). It
provides strength and protection. All Observe Insects
arthropods have bilateral symmetry. Observe Look at each insect with
Arthropods have a segmented body, a hand lens. Draw what you see.
with paired limbs on either side of Compare the structures of each
their body. In some cases, these limbs insect. Create a
table to record your
are used as wings or claws. In other
observations.
cases, their many legs help arthropods
move quickly. Arthropods have simple Infer Choose any
two structures
but very efficient nervous systems and
that you observed.
good sensory systems. If you have ever
What is special
tried to swat a fly, you know just how
about these structures? How does
quickly an arthropod can move! the design of these structures help
the insect survive?
Quick Check
Main Idea and Details What
body part do arthropods have that
echinoderms do not have?
Critical Thinking Is the statement
“the smaller the animal, the simpler
the animal” generally true? Explain.
55
EXPLAIN
What are vertebrates?
Recall that vertebrates are animals
that have a backbone. They all have
bilateral symmetry and endoskeletons.
Fish
There are three classes of fish:
jawless fish, cartilaginous fish, and
bony fish. Lamprey and hagfish
are jawless fish. Instead of a true
backbone, they have a flexible nerve
cord. Without jaws, they are forced to
suck in their food.
Sharks, skates, and rays are
cartilaginous fish. They have skeletons
made of cartilage rather than bone.
Cartilage is the material that gives your
ear its stiffness. They have paired fins
and jaws.
Bony fish have a nerve cord covered
by bone, not cartilage. Like sharks,
they have jaws and paired fins. They
have balloonlike swim bladders that
56
EXPLAIN
allow them to easily go
up or down in water.
Bony fish also have
moving flaps that push
water into their gills.
This allows them to
get oxygen while not
moving in the water.
Amphibians tree frog
Frogs, salamanders, and other
amphibians bridge the gap between
land and water vertebrates. An
amphibian is an animal that spends
part of its life in the water and part of
its life on land.
A frog begins its life in the water as
a tadpole with gills. As it matures, the
frog develops four legs and lungs for
breathing air. Most adult amphibians
do not leave the water for too long.
Many frogs, for example, breathe
through their skin as well as their
white-tip reef shark
lungs, so they need to stay moist at all
times. They also return to the water to
lay their eggs.
Reptiles
There are about 7,000 different
kinds of reptiles. A reptile is a true land
animal with one lung or two. They
have thick, scaly, waterproof skin.
Reptiles include lizards, snakes, turtles,
alligators, and crocodiles.
Reptiles do not generate much
body heat. Instead, reptiles stay
warm by sunning themselves and
taking advantage of heat in their
environments. They are cold-blooded
animals. This means they cannot
automatically keep their body
temperature steady.
Birds and Reptiles
hummingbird
Read a Photo
How are birds and reptiles different?
Clue: Observe each animal’s outer covering.
Birds
Birds have several features that
make them different from other
vertebrates. Rather than four legs,
birds have two legs and two wings.
Birds have hollow bones to reduce
their weight.
Feathers are a unique characteristic
of birds. They are strong and incredibly
light. Feathers help keep heat inside
the bodies of birds. Birds are warm-
blood animals that can keep their
body temperatures constant. Their
feathers are sturdy enough to hold up
to the stresses and strains of flight.
The world’s fastest bird, the peregrine
falcon, can fly at speeds of more than
322 kilometers per hour (200 miles
per hour).
Quick Check
Main Idea and Details What are
characteristics of vertebrates?
Critical Thinking Why do many
reptiles hide at night and stay
completely inactive?
gila monster
57
EXPLAIN
What are mammals?
Milk, hair, and large brains are
the key characteristics of mammals.
Mammals are unique because they
produce milk to feed their young.
Most mammals have hair or fur.
Some mammals, like humans and
whales, have little body hair. Like
birds, mammals are warm-blooded.
They generate their own body heat by
burning food.
Mammals are divided into
three subclasses: monotremes
(MON•uh•treemz), marsupials
(mahr•SEW•pee•uhlz), and placental
mammals (pluh•SEN•tuhl). A
monotreme is a mammal that lays
eggs. After the young hatch, they are
fed milk from their mothers. The duck-
billed platypus and the spiny anteater
are members of this group.
A marsupial is a pouched mammal.
These mammals give birth to partially
developed offspring. They carry their
developing young in a pouch on the
front of their bodies. Kangaroos and
koala bears are marsupials. Most
monotremes and marsupials are found
in Australia.
A tiger is a
placental mammal.
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EXPLAIN
Koala bears
are marsupials.
A spiny anteater is a monotreme.
What do humans have in common
with dogs, tigers, elephants, and
whales? All are placental mammals.
The young of a placental mammal
develops within its mother. Placental
mammals are born more mature than
the offspring of marsupials.
Quick Check
Main Idea and Details What
characteristics are shared by
all mammals?
Critical Thinking Why do
mammals need to consume
more food than reptiles?
Visual Summary
Invertebrates do not
have a backbone.
Porifera, cnidaria, and
worms are simple
invertebrates.
Mollusks, echinoderms,
and arthropods are
complex invertebrates.
All vertebrates have
backbones. Fish,
amphibians, reptiles,
birds, and mammals
are vertebrates.
Make a
Study Guide
Make a Three-Tab Book.
Use the titles shown. Tell
what you learned about
each topic on the tabs.
Math Link
Number of Beetles
Suppose about 350,000 different
beetles were identified. If 1,900,000
total animals were identified, what
percent are beetles?
-Review Summaries and quizzes online at www.macmillanmh.com
Think, Talk, and Write
Main Idea What is the main difference
between vertebrates and invertebrates?
Vocabulary Snails, squid, and clams are
all .
Main Idea and Details What
characteristics identify birds?
Main Idea Details
Critical Thinking Some scientists think
dinosaurs were warm-blooded. How
would this make dinosaurs more likely to
be related to birds?
Test Prep Which animal group has the
least organized body plan?
A flatworms
B mollusks
C porifera
D reptiles
Test Prep Which of the following does
not have bilateral symmetry?
A worms
B fish
C mammals
D sponges
Social Studies Link
Australian Mammals
Research marsupials and monotremes.
Find out why these animals are found
mostly in Australia.
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EVALUATE