Table of contents

1. Levels of Organisation
2. Symmetry
3. Diploblastic and Triploblastic Organisation
4. Coelom
5. Segmentation
6. Notochord
6.1. Arachnids
6.2. Crustaceans
6.3. Insects
7. Vertebrata

Classification of Animal Kingdom – Porifera,

Coelenterata, Platyhelminthes, Aschelminthes,
Annelida, Arthropoda, Mollusca, Echinodermata,
Chordata.]

Source | Credits | Picture Credits: NCERT General

Science

Basis for Animal

Kingdom
Classi1cation
Classification of Animal Kingdom is based on various
fundamental features like –

1. Levels of Organisation,
2. Symmetry,
3. Diploblastic and Triploblastic Organisation,
4. Coelom development,
5. Segmentation of the body and
6. Presense or absence of Notochord.
 6. Presense or absence of Notochord.

The broad classification of Animalia based on

common fundamental features:

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Levels of Organisation
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Though all members of Animalia are
multicellular, all of them do not exhibit the
same pattern of organisation of cells.
For example, in sponges, the cells are
arranged as loose cell aggregates, i.e., they
exhibit cellular level of organisation. Some
division of labour (activities) occur among the
cells.
In coelenterates, the arrangement of cells is
more complex. Here the cells performing the
same function are arranged into tissues, hence
is called tissue level of organisation.
A still higher level of organisation, i.e., organ
level [organ level of organisation] is exhibited
by members of Platyhelminthes and other
higher phyla where tissues are grouped
together to form organs, each specialised for a
particular function.
In animals like Annelids, Arthropods, Molluscs,
Echinoderms and Chordates, organs have
associated to form functional systems, each
system concerned with a specific physiological
function. This pattern is called organ system
 function. This pattern is called organ system

level of organisation.
Organ systems in different groups of animals
exhibit various patterns of complexities.
For example, the digestive system in
Platyhelminthes (incomplete digestive
system) has only a single opening to the
outside of the body that serves as both mouth
and anus, and is hence called incomplete. A
complete digestive system has two
openings, mouth and anus.
Similarly, the circulatory system may be of two
types: open type in which the blood is
pumped out of the heart and the cells and
tissues are directly bathed in it and closed
type in which the blood is circulated through a
series of vessels of varying diameters
(arteries, veins and capillaries).

Symmetry
Animals can be categorised on the basis of
their symmetry.
Sponges are mostly asymmetrical, i.e., any
plane that passes through the centre does not
divide them into equal halves.
When any plane passing through the central
axis of the body divides the organism into two
identical halves, it is called radial symmetry.
Coelenterates, Ctenophores and Echinoderms
have this kind of body plan.
Animals like Annelids, Arthropods, etc., where
the body can be divided into identical left and
right halves in only one plane, exhibit bilateral
symmetry.
Diploblastic and
Triploblastic
Organisation
Animals in which the cells are arranged in two
embryonic layers, an external ectoderm and
 embryonic layers, an external ectoderm and

an internal endoderm, are called diploblastic

animals, e.g., Coelenterates. An
undifferentiated layer, mesoglea, is present in
between the ectoderm and the endoderm.
Those animals in which the developing embryo
has a third germinal layer, mesoderm, in
between the ectoderm and endoderm, are
called triploblastic animals (platyhelminthes
to chordates).

Figure: Showing germinal layers : (a) Diploblastic (b)

Triploblastic

Coelom
Presence or absence of a cavity between the
body wall and the gut wall is very important in
classification.
The body cavity, which is lined by mesoderm
is called coelom.
Animals possessing coelom are called
coelomates, e.g., Annelids, Molluscs,
Arthropods, Echinoderms, Hemichordates &
Chordates.
In some animals, the body cavity is not lined by
mesoderm, instead, the mesoderm is present
as scattered pouches in between the
 as scattered pouches in between the

ectoderm and endoderm. Such a body cavity

is called pseudocoelom and the animals
possessing them are called
pseudocoelomates, e.g., Aschelminthes.
The animals in which the body cavity is absent
are called acoelomates, e.g., Platyhelminthes.

Segmentation
In some animals, the body is externally and
internally divided into segments with a serial
repetition of at least some organs.
For example, in earthworm, the body shows
this pattern called metameric segmentation
and the phenomenon is known as
metamerism.

Notochord
Notochord is a mesodermally [the middle layer
 Notochord is a mesodermally [the middle layer

of cells or tissues of an embryo, or the parts

derived from this (e.g. cartilage, muscles, and
bone)] derived rod-like structure formed on
the dorsal side [posterior] during embryonic
development in some animals.
Animals with notochord are called chordates
and those animals which do not form this
structure are called non-chordates, e.g.,
Porifera to Echinoderms.

Classi1cation of
Animal Kingdom
Animal Kingdom is classified into:

1. Phylum – Porifera
2. Phylum – Coelenterata (Cnidaria)
3. Phylum – Ctenophora
4. Phylum – Platyhelminthes
5. Phylum – Aschelminthes (Nemotoda) Annelida
6. Phylum – Arthropoda
7. Phylum – Mollusca
8. Phylum – Echinodermata
9. Phylum – Hemichordata
10. Phylum – Chordata

Phylum – Porifera
Phylum – Porifera includes organisms with
holes.
They are primitive multicellular animals and
have cellular level of organisation.
They are non-motile animals attached to some
solid support.
The body design involves very minimal
differentiation and division into tissues.
They are commonly called sponges.
They are generally marine and mostly
asymmetrical animals.
Sponges have a water transport or canal
system.
Water enters through minute pores (ostia) in
the body wall into a central cavity,
spongocoel, from where it goes out through
the osculum.
This pathway of water transport is helpful in
food gathering, respiratory exchange and
removal of waste.
The body is supported by a skeleton made up
of spicules or spongin fibres.
Sexes are not separate (hermaphrodite), i.e.,
eggs and sperms are produced by the same
individual.
Sponges reproduce asexually by
fragmentation and sexually by formation of
gametes.
Fertilisation is internal and development is
indirect having a larval stage which is
morphologically distinct from the adult.
 Figure: Examples of Porifera : (a) Sycon (b)
Euspongia (c) Spongilla

Examples: Sycon (Scypha), Spongilla (Fresh

water sponge) and Euspongia (Bath
sponge).

Phylum –
Coelenterata
(Cnidaria)
The name cnidaria is derived from the
cnidoblasts or cnidocytes (which contain the
stinging capsules or nematocytes) present
on the tentacles and the body.
Cnidoblasts are used for anchorage, defense
and for the capture of prey.
Coelenterata (Cnidaria) are aquatic, mostly
marine sessile or free-swimming radially
marine sessile or free-swimming radially

symmetrical
They exhibit tissue level of organization [have
more body design differentiation than
sponges].
They have a central gastro-vascular cavity
with a single opening.
They are diploblastic.
Some of these species live in colonies
(corals).
Some have a solitary [living alone] like–span
(hydra).
Some of the cnidarians, e.g., corals have a
skeleton composed of calcium carbonate.
Cnidarians exhibit two basic body forms called
polyp and medusa. The former is a sessile
and cylindrical form like Hydra, Adamsia (Sea
anemone), etc. whereas, the latter is umbrella-
shaped and free-swimming like Aurelia or jelly
fish.
Those cnidarians which exist in both forms
exhibit alternation of generation
(Metagenesis), i.e., polyps produce medusae
asexually and medusae form the polyps
sexually (e.g., Obelia).
Jellyfish and sea anemones are common
examples.
Digestion is extracellular and intracellular.
Examples: Aurelia (jelly fish), Physalia
(Portuguese man-of-war), Adamsia (Sea
anemone), Pennatula (Sea-pen), Gorgonia
(Sea-fan) and Meandrina (Brain coral).
Phylum – Ctenophora
Ctenophora are commonly known as sea
walnuts or comb jellies.
They exclusively marine, radially
symmetrical, diploblastic
They exhinit tissue level of organisation.
The body bears eight external rows of ciliated
comb plates, which help in locomotion.
Digestion is both extracellular and intracellular.
Bioluminescence (the property of a living
organism to emit light) is well-marked in
ctenophores.
Sexes are not separate and reproduction takes
place only by sexual means.
Fertilisation is external [fertilization occurs
outside the body] with indirect development
[zygote → larvae → animal].
Examples: Pleurobrachia and Ctenoplana.
Phylum –
Platyhelminthes
Platyhelminthes are more complexly designed
than the earlier groups.
They are bilaterally symmetrical.
They are triploblastic. This allows outside and
inside body linings as well as some organs to
be made. There is thus some degree of tissue
formation [organ level of organisation].
The body is flattened dorsiventrally, meaning
from top to bottom, which is why these
animals are called flatworms.
They may be freeliving or parasitic. Hooks and
They may be freeliving or parasitic. Hooks and

suckers are present in the parasitic forms.

Some examples are freeliving animals like
planarians, or parasitic animals like
Parisites are mostly endoparasites found in
animals including human beings. Some of
them absorb nutrients from the host directly
through their body surface.
Acoelomate: There is no true internal body
cavity or coelom, in which well developed
organs can be accommodated.
Specialised cells called flame cells help in
osmoregulation and excretion.
Sexes are not separate.
Fertilisation is internal and development is
indirect.
Some members like Planaria possess high
regeneration capacity.
Phylum –
Aschelminthes
(Nemotoda)
Body in aschelminthes (Nemotoda) is
cylindrical [bilaterally symmetrical] rather
than flattened.
They exhibit organ-system level of body
organization [there are tissues, but no real
organs].
They are triploblastic. A sort of body cavity or
a pseudocoelom, is present.
They are freeliving, aquatic, terrestrial or
parasitic in plants and animals.
These are very familiar as parasitic worms
causing diseases, such as the worms causing
elephantiasis (filarial worms) or the worms
in the intestines (roundworm or pinworms).
The body is circular in cross-section, hence,
the name roundworms.
Alimentary canal is complete.
An excretory tube removes body wastes from
the body cavity through the excretory pore.
Sexes are separate (dioecious), i.e., males
and females are distinct.
Often females are longer than males.
Fertilisation is internal and development may
be direct (the young ones resemble the adult)
or indirect.
Phylum – Annelida
Annelida are aquatic [marine and fresh water]
or terrestrial; free-living, and sometimes
parasitic.
Their body surface is distinctly marked out into
segments or metameres [metamerically
segmented] and, hence, the phylum name
Annelida (Latin, annulus: little ring).
They exhibit organ-system level of body
organization.
They are coelomate [true body cavity]. This
allows true organs to be packaged in the body
structure.
They are bilateral symmetric and
They are bilateral symmetric and

triploblastic.
They possess longitudinal and circular
muscles which help in locomotion.
Aquatic annelids like Nereis possess lateral
appendages, parapodia, which help in
swimming.
A closed circulatory system is present.
Nephridia (sing. nephridium) help in
osmoregulation and excretion.
Neural system consists of paired ganglia
(sing. ganglion) connected by lateral nerves to
a double ventral nerve cord.
Nereis, an aquatic form, is dioecious [Sexes
are separate], but earthworms and leeches
are monoecious [having both the male and
female reproductive organs in the same
individual].
Reproduction is sexual.
Phylum – Arthropoda
Insects, arachnids and crustaceans are
members of the largest category of creatures
on the planet: arthropods.
Arthropods have hard, external shells called
“exoskeletons,” segmented bodies and jointed
legs.
Some familiar examples are prawns,
butterflies, houseflies, spiders, scorpions
and crabs and some
They exhibit organ-system level of
organisation.
They are bilaterally symmetrical, triploblastic,
segmented and coelomate The coelomic
 segmented and coelomate The coelomic

cavity is blood-filled.
The body of arthropods is covered by
chitinous The body consists of head, thorax
and abdomen.
There is an open circulatory system, and so
the blood does not flow in well defined blood
vessels.
Respiratory organs are gills, book gills, book
lungs or tracheal system.
Sensory organs like antennae, eyes
(compound and simple), statocysts or
balance organs are present.
Excretion takes place through malpighian
tubules.
They are mostly dioecious.
Fertilisation is usually internal.
They are mostly oviparous.
Development may be direct or indirect.

Arachnids
Arachnids
Spiders, harvestmen, mites, ticks and other
arachnids are members of the class Arachnida.

Crustaceans

Crustaceans make up a large group of

arthropods that includes animals such as
crabs, lobsters, crayfish and shrimp. They
breathe with gills and have two pairs of
antennae.

Insects

In general, insects have three-part bodies, six

jointed legs, compound eyes and two
antennae.
Bees, wasps, beetles, mosquitoes, flies,
grasshoppers, ants, butterflies and moths, and
dragonflies and damselflies are common types
of insects.

Phylum – Mollusca
Mollusca are the second largest animal
phylum. They are terrestrial or aquatic.
They exhibit organ-system level of
organization.
They are bilaterally symmetrical,
triploblastic, coelomate animals. There is
little segmentation.
They have an open circulatory system and
kidney-like organs for excretion. The anterior
head region has sensory tentacles.
The mouth contains a file-like rasping organ
for feeding, called radula.
 for feeding, called radula.

They are usually dioecious and oviparous with

indirect development.
Body is covered by a calcareous shell and is
unsegmented with a distinct head, muscular
foot and visceral hump. A soft and spongy
layer of skin forms a mantle over the visceral
hump.
Examples are octopus, snails and mussels.

Phylum –
Echinodermata
These animals have an endoskeleton of
calcareous ossicles [calcium carbonate
structures] and, hence, the name
Echinodermata (spiny skinned organisms).
They are exclusively free-living marine
animals with organ-system level of
animals with organ-system level of

organisation.
They are triploblastic with a coelomic cavity
[coelomate animals]. The adult echinoderms
are radially symmetrical but larvae are
bilaterally symmetrical.
Water-driven tube system [water vascular
system] are used for locomotion, capture and
transport of food and respiration.
They are triploblastic and coelomate animals.
Digestive system is complete. An excretory
system is absent.
Sexes are separate. Reproduction is sexual.
Fertilisation is usually external.
Development is indirect with free-swimming
larva.
Examples: Star fish, Sea urchin, Sea lily, Sea
cucumber, Brittle star.
Phylum –
Hemichordata
Hemichordata was earlier considered as a sub-
phylum under phylum Chordata. But now it is
placed as a separate phylum under non-
chordata.
This phylum consists of a small group of
worm-like marine animals with organ-
system level of organisation.
They are cylindrical [bilaterally symmetrical],
triploblastic, coelomate animals.
The body is Circulatory system is of open type.
Respiration takes place through gills.
Excretory organ is present.
Sexes are separate. Fertilisation is external.
Development is indirect.
Examples: Balanoglossus and Saccoglossus.

Phylum – Chordata
Animals belonging to phylum Chordata are
fundamentally characterised by the presence
of a notochord, a dorsal hollow nerve cord and
paired pharyngeal gill slits.
They are bilaterally symmetrical,
triploblastic, coelomate with organ-system
level of organisation.
They possess a post anal tail and a closed
circulatory system.
Phylum Chordata is divided into three
subphyla: Urochordata or Tunicata,
Cephalochordata and Vertebrata.
Subphyla Urochordata and Cephalochordata
 Subphyla Urochordata and Cephalochordata

are often referred to as protochordates and

are exclusively marine.
In Urochordata, notochord is present only in
larval tail, while in Cephalochordata, it
extends from head to tail region and is
persistent throughout their life.
Examples: Urochordata – Ascidia, Salpa,
Doliolum; Cephalochordata – Amphioxus or
Lancelet.

All chordates possess the following features:

1. have a notochord
2. have a dorsal nerve cord
3. are triploblastic
4. have paired gill pouches
5. are coelomate.
Vertebrata
These animals have a true vertebral column
and internal skeleton, allowing a completely
different distribution of muscle attachment
points to be used for movement.
The members of subphylum Vertebrata
possess notochord during the embryonic
period.
The notochord is replaced by a cartilaginous or
bony vertebral column in the adult.
Thus all vertebrates are chordates but all
chordates are not vertebrates.
Besides the basic chordate characters,
vertebrates have a ventral muscular heart with
two, three or four chambers, kidneys for
excretion and osmoregulation and paired
appendages which may be fins or limbs.
Vertibrates are bilaterally symmetrical,
triploblastic, coelomic and segmented, with
complex differentiation of body tissues and
organs.

Comparison of Chordates and Non-chordates

S.No. Chordates Non-chordates

Notochord
1. Notochord absent.
present.

Central nervous Central nervous

2. system is dorsal, system is ventral,
hollow and single. solid and double.

Pharynx perforated Gill slits are