Diverse Animals
SCI/230
Joseph Keen 11/13/2011

The animal Kingdom encompasses all sentient organisms on planet Earth, the study of which takes years to fully comprehend and master. There are many orders, types, and species within this vast grouping, and while some types of animals are commonly understood, the characteristics unifying members of other groups can be more elusive. This paper seeks to better identify the defining factors of these groups and illustrate their differences. For the purposes of comparison, eight animals have been chosen for this paper as examples by which to better understand the differences between mammals, insects, bids, and echinoderms. Mammals are the most well-studied class in the Kingdom Animalia, but are not even close to the largest on the planet. They are defined by three common characteristics unique to this class: hair, mammary glands, and 3 middle ear bones. Panther pardus, or the Leopard of Africa and Asia are a classic example of this class, having all three defining characteristics. Simia paniscus, or Spider Monkey, by comparison, is also covered in hair, nurses it’s young, and contains 3 middle ear bones. Both species also share four working legs, and can be found in multiple types of environments including tropical, savannah, dense forest, and in captivity. While both can be found among the trees, spider monkeys make their homes near the tree tops, while the leopard prefers to keep closer to the ground. Leopards are among the order Carnivora, which means that like tigers and wolves, leopards eat only meat, while primates tend to be Omnivores with diets rich in fruits and leaves as well as meat. All primates, such as baboons and gorillas also share a commonality that is not shared by most other mammals: thumbs. This enables the spider monkey to use tools, get better grips, and aids in more complex social interaction then that of the leopard. Furthermore, Leopards are mostly solitary creatures while Spider Monkeys enjoy living in large family groups. While both creatures fall into the same class, they live vastly different lives and are skeletally completely different. Birds are another class within this Kingdom, and, like Mammals, are vertebrates. The Mourning Dove, or Zenaida macroura is a small bird found in North America. Like all birds, Mourning Doves have a beak instead of teeth, feathers, a strong skeletal structure, and extremely muscular stomachs. Furthermore, their young are hatched from eggs with shells and yolks. The Andean Condor, Vultur gryphus, is found primarily in South America and also members of the bird class because of their feathers, skeletal structure, stomach muscles, eggs, and beaks. Mourning doves are named so for their multi-pitched call which sounds strikingly mournful and pleasant whereas the Andean Condor is characterized with a screeching grating call to ward off predators from competition. While the Andean condor has black and white feathers that are coarse and long, Mourning Doves have soft brown and white feathers which are short and silky. Both build nests and care for their young but Andean condors tend to eat far more meat while Mourning doves prey mainly on insects and berries. Like Bocage’s Longbill and the California Condor, the Andean Condor is a member of the order Incertae sedis, meaning that the order is generally unknown. The Mourning Dove is a member of the order Columbiformes and shares its ability to drink water by sucking it with its beak without tilting its head with fellow members of the order such as pigeons and the extinct Dodo. Their class is nearly all that these birds share. Insects account for the majority of the Earth’s animals and can be found in nearly any environment conceivable. The commonalities of all insects are extremely small, as the class is so vast and varied that very few characteristics are shared among all of them. They are invertebrates, breath oxygen through various processes, and generally share body parts such as legs, eyes, and at least two body sections. Harmonia axyridis, known commonly as a Japanese Ladybug, is a beetle has a domed body with bold color, wings, and smooth form. They are found in three main colors, red, orange, and either with black spots, and hibernate in cool dry places when temperatures drop below 10 degrees Celsius. Mantis religiosa, the Praying Mantis is a large green or brown insect with wings and legs with small spikes which allow for good traction, enabling the Praying Mantis to attach itself to a twig or piece of grass and wait for prey. Both insects are common to North America and other parts of the world, and both have wings that are not immediately apparent visually. Mantis’ eat other insects while Ladybugs eat vegetation, and mantis’ do not hibernate. Like other members of the order Mantodea such as stick insects, the Praying Mantis features a long body with three sections. Coleoptera, the order including ladybugs, weevils and fireflies, also have three sectioned-bodies, but they have hard sheathed wings called elytra which are hidden among a particularly dense exoskeleton. Echinoderms are mainly a marine group and largely comprised of extinct species discovered through fossils. The term “echinoderm” refers to “spiny skin” and they are characterized by an internal skeleton, diffuse nervous system, and lack of excretory organs. Pisaster ochraceus is also known as the Purple Sea star and features five stout rays protruding from its center. It’s tube feet have suckers on the ends enabling it to cling to rocks and coral amid shallow waters with heavy waves. Strongylocentrotus franciscanus, Red Sea Urchins, are round animals with long spines that protrude from its body at every angle. The creatures are similar in that they congregate in groups and can be found nearer the shore then the bottom of the ocean. Unlike the sea star, the red sea Urchin has no apparent appendages or suckers. The Red Sea Urchin is a member of the order Euchinoida which is comprised entirely of various forms of sea urchins. Forcipulatida is the order of starfish including the purple sea star and is identified as having a more robust body then other types of sea stars. The animal kingdom is broken into so many levels to successfully identify and classify these creatures with commonalities in order to better study and understand them. While classes and orders offer common characteristics, they encompass many differing species who may not seem similar in any way. Taking examples of members of each class and comparing them is an effective method of study to better comprehend the complexities of biodiversity.

References;
Animal Diversity Web. (1995-2008). Retrieved from http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/index.html