Animal diversity - a brief overview

Biological Classification
Example: Kingdom Phylum Class Short-beaked Echidna Animalia Chordata Mammalia

Order
Family

Monotremata
Tachyglossidae

Genus
Species

Tachyglossus
aculeatus

Kingdoms of Life
Eubacteria Archaeobacteria True bacteria Prokaryotes Ancient bacteria

Protista
Plantae

Single cell
Primary producers Eukaryotes

Fungi
Animalia

External digestion
Consumers Viruses

Kingdom Animalia
Multi-cellular

Division of labour between individual cells or groups of cells

Cells Tissues Organs Gametes Zygote Embryonic development Diploid 30 phyla

Australias Biodiversity: a mega-diverse region

8% of the worlds total species diversity >800,000 species

25,000 vascular plants

250,000 fungi 5,400 vertebrates (Phylum Chordata)
3,600 fishes, most endemic 850 birds, 45% endemic 700 reptiles, 89% endemic 357 mammals, 84% endemic (incl. 159 marsupials) 174 amphibians, 93% endemic

~520,000 invertebrates (the other 99%)

225,000 insects, many endemic

Beetle Diversity

Hidden Diversity

Phylum Porifera: Sponges

About 5000 species, most marine and colonial Filter feed on fine particulate matter drawn in with water in through pores Skeleton used as bath sponges
Small calcareous sponges, Heron Island

Phylum Porifera: Sponges

Poorly differentiated tissues; no organs No circulatory system No nervous system No respiratory or excretory system: gas exchange and waste excretion by diffusion

Very simple digestive system: no mouth or gut

Phylum Cnidaria: jellyfish, sea wasps, hydrozoans, sea anemones, corals

Medusa of Class Scyphozoa jellyfish

9000 species; marine or freshwater Medusa - freefloating, (pelagic) and bell shaped (eg jellyfish)

Polyp - attached tubular form (eg. a sea anemone)

Class Anthozoa sea anemone

Phylum Cnidaria
Nematocysts are a diagnostic feature

Stinging organelles for defence and capture of prey People often experience stings (eg blue bottle).
Stings from sea wasp (box jellyfish) are dangerous and often fatal

Class Anthozoa: Corals

Sessile polyps that often live colonially. Feed by everting tentacles, catch zooplankton on nematocysts.

Food passes between individual polyps to provide for whole colony Hard corals - polyps embedded in skeleton of calcium carbonate

Phylum Cnidaria
Radial symmetry

No circulatory system
Primitive nervous system: nerve net

No respiratory system: gas exchange by

diffusion Simple digestive system one-way gastrovascular cavity

Phylum Platyhelminthes: flatworms, tapeworms and flukes

12,700 species

Class Turbellaria
Flatworms (free-living)

Class Monogenea
Ectoparasitic flukes

Class Trematoda
Endoparasitic flukes (eg. liver fluke of sheep)

Class Cestoda
Tapeworms (eg. pork tapeworm, hydatid cyst tapeworm)

Phylum Platyhelminthes
Bilateral symmetry; dorso-ventrally flattened

Many are parasitic

Many are hermaphroditic No circulatory system No respiratory system: gas exchange by diffusion Simple nervous system / simple eyes Simple digestive system one-way gastrovascular cavity

Phylum Nemertinea: proboscis worms

900 species

Mostly marine species: rocky crevices, in sand, under rocks, algal mats
Have a unique eversible anterior proboscis used for catching prey Elongated, anteriorly pointed Range from few mm to ~30 metres in length

Many brightly coloured

Phylum Nemertinea
Bilateral symmetry; dorso-ventrally flattened

Limited closed circulatory system

Simple nervous system / simple eyes

No respiratory system
Through digestive system mouth and anus

Primitive nitrogenous excretory system

Sexes separate

Phylum Nematoda: Roundworms

12,000 species, many parasitic Pseudocoelomate: possess fluid filled body cavity Found in virtually every habitat Cylindrical, with tapered ends
Elephantiasis is caused by a Thick collagen cuticle roundworm which blocks lymphatic tissue, causing grotesque swelling in Move by longitudinal muscle contraction affected regions

Phylum Nematoda: Roundworms

Bilateral symmetry; cylindrical Pseudocoelomate possess body cavity Limited closed circulatory system Rudimentary nervous system: aggregation of nerve cells (brain), nerves running posteriorly, nerve cells on cuticle (setae, papillae, amphids) No respiratory system Through digestive system

Phylum Annelida: Segmented worms

8700 species

Class Polychaeta (Marine bristle-worms)

Class Euclitellata

Sub-class Oligochaeta (Earthworms)

Sub-class Hirudinae (Leeches)

Earthworm

Phylum Annelida: Segmented worms

Coelomate possess true body cavity Segmentation and metamerism Closed circulatory system (blood vessels) Primitive respiratory systems Nervous system brain, ventral nervous cord and ganglia in each segment

Through digestive system

Excretion through nephridial tubules

Phylum Annelida: Class Polychaeta

Marine bristle worms Many setae per segment Sedentary forms (tubedwellers): filter organic particles with tentacles

Free moving forms (surface, pelagic, burrowers)

Pharynx can be everted through mouth to catch prey Rudimentary respiratory system: gills on parapodia

Phylum Annelida: Class Euclitellata

Possess clitellum secretes cocoon for eggs Lack parapodia Sub-Class Oligochaeta (earthworms) Few setae per segment Most are burrowing animals, feed on vegetation or organic matter in soil, a few are carnivorous Hermaphroditic Sub-Class Hirudinae (leeches) External parasites feeding on blood

A giant Australian Earthworm Digaster