Introduction:

Kingdom Animalia encompasses all living animals, deriving its name from the Latin word "anima," meaning soul or breath.
Animals within this kingdom are characterized by a cell membrane as the outermost cell covering, a feature distinguishing
them from organisms with a hard cell wall. Recent reports indicate that Kingdom Animalia comprises over half a million animal
species. Key characteristics include development from dissimilar haploid gametes i.e., larger egg and smaller sperm.
multicellular bodies, diploid eukaryotic cells, and heterotrophic nutrition through food ingestion.

Evolutionists propose that animals originated from single-celled organisms in Kingdom Protoctista, although their specific
ancestry within this group remains a subject of lively debate among biologists.

Classification of Animals:
In ancient times, animals were categorized based on the presence or absence of a vertebral column, leading to two main
groups:

a. Vertebrata: Animals with a vertebral column, including fishes, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals.

b. Invertebrata: Animals lacking a backbone, divided into phyla:

Some invertebrate animals, like those in "Phylum Ctenophora" and "Minor Phyla," exist, but due to their limited numbers and
habitat in deep seas, they are often overlooked.

Animals are also classified based on cellular composition into three groups:

1. Protozoa: Single-celled animals (recently treated as a separate kingdom Protista).

2. Parazoa: Simple multicellular animals, lacking differentiated tissues and organs (e.g., Porifera).

3. Metazoa: Composed of many cells, organized into tissues, organs, and organ systems. This group includes phyla from
coelenterates to chordates, classified under the subkingdom Eumetazoa.

Another classification basis is the arrangement of cells into layers:

 Diploblastic: Animals with two cell layers (ectoderm and endoderm), exemplified by coelenterates.

 Triploblastic: Animals with three cell layers (ectoderm, mesoderm, and endoderm), encompassing phyla from
Platyhelminthes to chordates.
Complexity in Animals:
Eumetazoa, classified based on body symmetry, divides into two captivating groups:

1. Radiata (Radial Symmetry):

 Animals with radial symmetry, divisible into equal parts in multiple planes.

 Diploblastic in nature, exemplified by Phylum Coelenterata (Cnidaria).

2. Bilateria (Bilateral Symmetry):

 Animals with bilateral symmetry, divisible into two identical halves in one plane.

 Majority possess a distinct anterior end, often with a well-defined head.

 Includes Platyhelminthes, Nematode, Annelida, Mollusca, Arthropoda, and Chordata.

 All animals in Bilateria are triploblastic.

Diploblastic and Triploblastic Organization:

 Diploblastic Animals:

 Body composed of two layers of cells, with a jelly-like non cellular mesoglea in between.

 Limited organ specialization, lacking a well-developed organ system.

 No centralized nervous system (brain), with a network of neurons.

 Sac-like digestive system without an anus.

 Reproduction occurs both asexually and sexually.

 Triploblastic Animals:

 Body composed of three layers: ectoderm, mesoderm, and endoderm.

 Greater cell specialization into organs and organ systems.

 Tube-like digestive system with separate openings for intake and excretion.

 Ectoderm forms skin and nervous system; endoderm lines the digestive tract and associated glands.

 Mesoderm contributes to organs like muscles, reproductive, excretory, and skeletal systems.

 Triploblastic animals may be categorized as acoelomates, pseudocoelomates, and coelomates.

Acoelomates Pseudocoelomates Coelomates
Characteristic

Body Cavity Possess a fluid-filled body cavity, but not a

Presence of a true body cavity or
Presence Absence of a true body cavity or coelom. true coelom formed between mesoderm
coelom.
layers.

Mesoderm forms a loose, cellular tissue

Mesoderm Pseudocoelom develops from blastocoel, not Coelom formed within mesoderm
(mesenchyma or parenchyma) between
Formation from the archenteron of gastrula. layers.
epidermis and gastrodermis.

Mesenchyma supports and protects

Supportive Pseudocoelom functions independently of Coelom provides support and
internal organs, filling spaces between
Function reproductive and excretory systems. protection for internal organs.
them.

Limited development of body systems, with Body systems are not influenced by Well-developed body systems,
Body System
moderately developed excretory and pseudocoelom; no direct relation to including distinct reproductive,
Development
nervous systems. reproductive and excretory systems. excretory, and nervous systems.

Animals from Phylum Annelida to

Example Animals of Phylum Platyhelminthes. Animals of Phylum Aschelminthes.
Phylum Chordata.
 Invertebrates
Phylum Porifera
Etymology
"Porifera" originates from Latin; "Porus" means tiny holes, and "Ferra" means to bear, reflecting the presence of
small pores (ostia) on their bodies. They are the most primitive and are commonly called sponges.
Habitat
All members are aquatic mostly marine. Sycon (common marine sponge), Spongilla (freshwater sponge),
Leucosolenia (tubular marine sponge), Euplectella (Venus flower basket, a delicate, siliceous sponge resembling
glass).
Structure
The sponges consist of outer dermal layer called pinacoderm, and inner layer choanoderm made of flagellated cells
called choanocytes. The middle region is called mesenchyme. Body is perforated by many pores called ostia. There is
a single cavity inside the body called spongocoel. Water enters through ostia travels through the canal and goes out
by a large main opening called osculum.
Digestion
 Ostia facilitate water circulation, bringing in food particles.
 Feeding involves intracellular and extracellular digestion in cells and the spongocoel.
 Diet includes phytoplanktons, zooplanktons, protozoans, crustacea, and organic matter.
 80 % of the food is comprised of dead decaying organic matter.
Support and Locomotion
The adult sponges are stationary(sessile) and do not contain any locomotory organ, spending their lives attached to
the rocks at the bottom or other solid objects. However, their larvae can move (swim). All sponges except class
mykospongida have skeleton. The skeleton is in the form of variously shaped needle-like structures called spicules.
These may be calcareous or siliceous. The bath sponge has a skeleton of spongin fibres. The skeleton is present
among pinacocytes and provides support. Spicules are also present around osculum and ostia.

Reproduction
Sponges reproduce both by asexual and sexual methods of reproduction.
The asexual reproduction in sponges is by budding. The buds may be external or internal, the internal buds are
called gemmules. Both types of buds develop into new sponges.
Some sponge species reproduce sexually. These are mostly hermaphrodite, mostly protandrous, i.e., male sex cells
develop first. In some sponges the sexes are separate. Sperms released in water are carried to the eggs by amoeboid
cells. Fertilization occurs in mesenchyme and zygote is formed. The embryo development includes blastula and
larval stages.
Nervous System
There is no definite nervous system, however neurosensory and neuron cells are probably present which seem to
coordinate the flow of water.
Economic Importance
Natural sponges, particularly those from the warm waters of the Mediterranean Sea, have been economically
significant throughout history. Despite the availability of artificial sponges, the demand for natural sponges persists
in various markets worldwide. Apart from their traditional use in washing and bathing, natural sponges play a crucial
role in surgical operations due to their absorbent properties, and they are also utilized in construction to reduce
noise pollution by absorbing sound waves.
Miscellaneous
1) No tissue or organ system is present.
2) Included in subkingdom Parazoa.
3) Recently found near the lip of a mud volcano in the Barbados Trench, predatory sponges from
the Cladorhizidae family have been discovered at a depth of 5000 meters beneath the sea.
These unusually large sponges, approximately the size of a large dog, exhibit predatory
behavior. They use their spicules to stab passing crustaceans, effectively consuming their prey
in the deep-sea environment.

Phylum Coelenterata
Etymology
Coelenterata: Greek - Kolios (Hollow) + enteron (intestine)
Also known as Cnidaria due to cnidocytes (specialized cells) producing nematocysts
General Characteristics
Diploblastic Organization
Radial Symmetry
Exclusively aquatic, majority in marine environments, some in freshwater
Structure
 Ectoderm (outer layer): Protective, produces nematocysts.
 Endoderm (inner layer): Specialized for digestion.
 Mesoglea: Jelly-like, noncellular material between layers
Digestion
The cells of endoderm are specialized for digestion. They release digestive enzymes and also absorb the digested
food. The only cavity in the body is enteron or gastrovascular cavity which is associated not only with digestion but
also with many other functions of the body of animal. In coelenterates mouth is surrounded by number of tentacles
which bears organs of offense and defense called nematocyst. As soon as an organism touches the tentacles the
nematocysts are fired which movement of tentacles the animals is brought to the mouth. Inside the gastrovascular
cavity, the food is digested by the action of the enzymes released by the glandular cells of endoderm, which digest
the food and the remaining undigested material is again thrown out of the mouth. The digested material is absorbed
into the cells of endoderm lining the enteron through diffusion and is also provided to the cells of ectoderm. In
some coelenterates there are special feeding zooids which are called gastrozoids" which perform only the function
of nutrition for the whole colony. This arrangement is found in Obelia and the animals of order siphonophore are
carnivorous. Their food varies according to their size from crustaceans, insect larvae to small fishes. Both the type of
digestion i.e., intracellular and extracellular is found.