Class 11

Animal Kingdom
Chordata
Salient features of chordata

Four distinctive derived characteristics of chordates distinguish them from their

ancestors:

A. Notochord, or a rod of vacuolated cells, encased by a firm sheath

that lies ventral to the neural tube in vertebrate embryos and some
adults.

B. Hollow nerve cord that lies dorsal to the notochord

C. Pharyngeal pouches

D. Endostyle - elongated groove in the pharynx floor of protochordates

that may develop as the thyroid gland in chordates

Subphylum- Urochordata

1. Possesses a Notochord, a hollow nerve cord and a post anal tail.

2. Body has more than two cell layers and includes tissues and organs.
3. Has a U shaped gut.
4. Body has no coelomic body cavity.
5. Body wholly enclosed in a ‘tunic’ of secreted protein and cellulose-like material.
6. Are hermaphroditic, normally with only one ovary and testis.
7. Has a nervous system composed of a anterior ganglion from which individual nerves
issue.
8. Has no excretory organs.
9. Has a distinct larval stage.
10. All are filter feeders.
11. Live in marine environments.
12. About 2,000 species currently known
Example Tunicates

Subphylum Cephalochordata.

1. Body is fish-like and is useful for burrowing and swimming.

2. It has a head.
3. It shows a tail.
4. Appendages are absent.
5. Dorsal, caudal and ventral fins are present.
6. Body-wall shows one- cell thick, non-ciliated epidermis, dermis, connective
tissue, striated muscle and parietal peritoneum.
7. It has no exoskeleton.
8. Notochord extends from the anterior end to posterior end.
9. Enterocoelic coelom is present. However, reduced in the pharyngeal region
by atrium.
10. Alimentary canal is long. It includes a large pharynx with many gill-
slits ciliary mode of feeding is developed.
11. Gillss will perform respiration.
12. Circulatory system is closed.
13. Heart and respiratory pigments are absent.
14. Hepatic portal system is present.
15. Excretory system shows paired protonephridia with solenocytes.
16. Brain is not present
17. Two pairs of cerebral and several pairs of spinal nerves are present.
18. Sexes are separate. Gonads are metamerically arranged and with out
gonoducts.
19. Asexual reproduction will not take place.
20. Fertilization is external.

Example : Branchiostoma ( Amphioxus)

Sub Phylum Vertebrata

1. Around 45,000 surviving types of vertebrates are placed in subphylum

Vertebrata.
2. Vertebrates have each of the four chordate attributes at some point amid
their lives.
3. Embryonic notochord is supplanted by a vertebral section.
a. Vertebral section is singular vertebrae that encompass a dorsal empty
nerve line.
b. Vertebral section is a piece of a flexible, solid endoskeleton and is
proof of segmentation.
4. Skeleton of a vertebrate is a living tissue (either ligament or bone) that
develops.
5. Endoskeleton and muscles together allow fast and effective development.
6. Transformations couldn't have collected new hereditary data needed for the
development of different types of the same animal.
7. A skull is foremost part of principle axis of vertebrate endoskeleton; it
encases the cerebrum.
8. High level of cephalization in vertebrates is joined by complex sense
organs.
a. Eyes composed as outgrowths of the cerebrum.
b. Ears – For harmony, likewise sound-wave receivers.
9. They have an entire digestive system and an expansive coelom.
10. Circulatory framework is of closed type and pigments for respiration are
contained inside veins.
11. Gills or Lungs give proficient exchange of gas.
12. Kidneys proficiently discharge nitrogenous waste and manage water.
13. Reproduction is generally sexual with opposite sexes.
14. Outline of the amnion permits reproduction ashore.
15. Placental warm blooded creatures permit improvement in the uterus.
Class Cyclostomata

1. The body is round and elongated like an eel.

2. The paired fins are absent.
3. Median fins with cartilaginous fin rays.
4. No paired appendages.
5. The skin is soft and smooth, devoid of any scales.
6. Spleen is absent.
7. The exoskeleton is absent. The endoskeleton is cartilaginous with no bones.
8. The notochord is present throughout their lives.
9. The digestive system is devoid of any stomach.
10. The nostril is single and median.
11. The gills are five to sixteen in pairs.
12. The heart is two-chambered.
13. The brain is visible.
14. The lateral line acts as a sense organ.
15. About ten pairs of cranial nerves are present.
16. The sexes are separate. Some hagfish species are believed to be
hermaphrodite.
17. A pair of mesonephric kidneys make up the excretory system.
18. Development may be direct or indirect.
19. Eg., Petromyzon and Maxine.
Super- class Pisces

1. They are found in fresh, marine, and brackish water.

2. The body is usually streamlined. Some have a spindle-shaped or elongated
body as well.
3. Their body is distributed into a head, trunk and tail.
4. They swim with the help of their tail.
5. Paired and unpaired fins represent the appendages. These help the fish to
balance while swimming.
6. The lateral line system functions as a sensory organ to sense the disturbances
in the nearby environment.
7. The body is covered with thick-seated scales, which helps by providing
protection to the internal organelles.
8. The gills help in respiration.
9. Closed type blood circulation is observed.
10. The internal skeleton is bony or cartilaginous.
11. These are cold-blooded organisms.
12. They may be herbivores or carnivores, oviparous or ovoviviparous.
13. The sexes are separate.
14. Fertilization may be external or internal.
15. They lack extra-embryonic membranes.
16. The digestive system is well-developed.
17. The nervous system comprises of the brain and ten pairs of the cranial nerves.

Class-Chondrichthyes:
(a) Chondrichthyes are exclusively marine fishes.
(b) They have cartilaginous endoskeleton. Their body is streamlined.
(c) Mouth is located on ventral side.
(d) Gill slits are separate and without gill cover (operculum).
(e) Pelvic fins bear claspers in males.
(f) Skin is tough. It has minute placoid scales.
(g) Animals are predatory. They have powerful jaws with teeth e.g., sharks, rays,
skates etc.
Class Osteichthes
1.The endoskeleton is cartilaginous in the embryonic stage, but in the adult forms
more or less it is replaced by bones. Thus they have bony endoskeleton. They are
ectothermic (cold blooded). There are about 25,000 species of bony fishes.

2. Caudal fin usually homocercal symmetrical (Gr. homos- alike).

The exoskeleton, if present comprises cycloid, ctenoid or ganoid scales, which are
dermal in origin.

4. The mouth is terminal. Digestive tract leads into an anus. Cloaca is absent in bony
fishes.

5. External nares lie on the dorsal surface of the snout. In lung fishes internal nares
are also present.

6. Bony fishes have a sac-like outgrowth, the swim bladder (also called air bladder),
arising from the dorsal wall of the oesophagus, which is air-filled organ, used to
maintain balance and to swim up and down. In some fishes, such as Heteropneustes,
it helps in respiration.
7. They have 4 pairs of gills which are covered by an operculum on each side.

8. The heart is 2-chambered (one auricle and one ventricle) and also has sinus
venosus and conus arteriosus. Lung fishes have three chambered heart. (Two
auricles and one ventricle). Bony fishes have well developed renal portal system.
RBCs are oval and nucleated.

9. Kidneys are mesonephric. Ammonia is chief nitrogenous waste.

10. There are present 10 pairs of cranial nerves.

11. The brain bears relatively small olfactory lobes and cerebellum.

12. Lateral line system is well developed.

13. They have internal ears which helps the fish keep its balance. The nictitating
membrane in the eye of fish is well developed.

14. Fertilization is generally external. Most forms are oviparous, some are
ovoviviparous. Development is direct except in Anguilla where development is
indirect with a larva lepto- cephalus. Some bony fishes show parental care.

15. Example : Bony fishes occur in all sort of waters— fresh, marine, brackish.

Fresh water- Labeo, Catla, Clarias, Anabas, Mystus

A typical Bony fish

Class Amphibia

1. These can live both on land and in water.

2. They are ectothermic animals, found in a warm environment.
3. Their body is divided into head and trunk. The tail may or may not be present.
4. The skin is smooth and rough without any scales, but with glands that make it
moist.
5. They have no paired fins. Unpaired fins might be present.
6. They have two pairs of limbs for locomotion.
7. They respire through the lungs and skin. Gills might be present externally in
some adults.
8. The heart is three chambered.
9. The kidneys are mesonephric. The excretory material includes ammonia and
urea.
10. They possess ten pairs of cranial nerves.
11. The lateral line is present during their development.
12. The sexes are separate and fertilization is usually external. However, in
salamanders, the fertilization is internal.
13. Development is indirect with metamorphosis.
 14. Breeding occurs in water. The copulatory organs are absent in males.
15. Eg., Frogs, Salamanders.

Figure showing Examples of various Amphibians

Class Reptilia

1. These are creeping and burrowing terrestrial animals with scales on their
body.
2. They are cold-blooded animals found in most of the warmer regions of the
world.
3. Their skin is dry, and rough, without any glands.
4. The body is divided into head, neck, trunk, and tail.
5. Few of these shed the scales on their skin as skin cast.
6. The respiration takes place with the help of the lungs.
7. The skull is monocondylic.
8. They have two pairs of pentadactyl limbs, each bearing claws. Snakes are an
exception.
9. The heart is 3 chambered. However, crocodiles have a 4-chambered heart.
10. The nervous system comprises of 12 pairs of cranial nerves.
11. The lateral line system is absent in reptiles.
12. Except for snakes, all the reptiles have well-developed ears.
13. They possess a typical cloaca.
14. Reptiles are ureotelic, uricotelic, and ammonotelic.
15. Fertilization is internal.
16. They exhibit a meroblastic segmentation.
17. They are oviparous and the eggs are very yolky.
18. Eg., Snakes, Turtles, Lizards, Crocodiles
Figure showing examples of various Reptiles
Class Aves

1. Birds are warm-blooded animals.

2. Their forelimbs are modified into wings.
3. They have well-developed flight muscles that help during the flight.
4. Their hind limbs are adapted for walking, hopping, perching, grasping,
wading and swimming.
5. There are epidermal scales on their legs.
6. The endoskeleton is bony with long hollow bones filled with air cavities.
known as pneumatic bones.
7. Their spindle-shaped body minimizes resistance of the wind.
8. The feathers help in preventing heat loss and reduce air friction by providing
passage to the air.
9. There is no skin gland except the oil gland.
10. The lower and upper and jaws are modified into a beak.
11. They have no teeth.
12. They have sharp eyesight.
13. The alimentary canal has a crop and a gizzard. The crops help in softening
food, and the gizzard helps in crushing the food.
14. Pigeons and other seed-eating birds lack a gall bladder.
15. They have spongy and elastic lungs for respiration.
16. The special vocal organ called syrinx is present at the base of trachea.
17. Their heart is four-chambered.
18. RBCs are oval, nucleated and biconvex.
19. 12 pairs of cranial nerves are present.
20. They have a single ovary and oviduct on the left side
21. All the birds are oviparous and exhibit sexual dimorphism. The eggs have four
embryonic membranes- amnion, chorion, allantois, and yolk sac.
Class Mammalia

1. Mammals are warm-blooded animals who give birth to their younger ones.
2. They are the most dominant form of animals found in almost all types of
habitats.
3. They have mammary glands that help them produce milk to feed their younger
ones
4. Presence of region of the brain known as Neocortex
5. Their skin possesses oil glands (sebaceous glands) and sweat glands
(sudoriferous glands).
6. The fur of hair throughout the body which helps animals adapt to their
environment.
7. They are heterodont, i.e., possess different types of teeth.
8. Mammals also possess cervical vertebrae.
9. The skull is dicondylic.
10. The trunk is divided into thorax and abdomen.
11. The mammals respire through lungs.
12. Good sense of hearing as mammals are aided with 3 middle ear bones
13. Mammals have a four-chambered heart. The sinus venous and renal portal
system are absent.
14. Presence of single-boned lower jaws.
15. The brain is well developed divided into cerebrum, cerebellum and medulla.
16. They possess 12 pairs of cranial nerves.
17. Exhibit one of the most advanced forms of Diaphragms.
18. The mammals can lay eggs also. They are known as viviparous.
Figure showing different types of mammals