Let's Love Them

For me the Animal Kingdom is one of the most diverse kingdoms we have. As far as I know, it is divided into 2 types, the vertebrates and the invertebrates.

The vertebrates and the invertebrates are many-celled animals and they have advantage over the other lower forms like the protists. Almost all members of the Animal Kingdom are invertebrates organisms that has no backbone. The animal kingdom is divided into 9 phylum namely, Porifera, Coelenterata, Plathyhelminthes, Annelida, Echinodermata, Mollusca, Nemathelminthes, Arthropoda and Chordata . The Phylum Chordata is the only group that includes humans and mammals. Most of the members in the phylum CHordata are Vertabrates, means Animals with Backbone. Hence the name Chordata, which comes from the greek word Chordae ( meaning string ) this refers to the notochord (present in a fetus) which the spinal chord and brain develops. The general characteristics of the vertebrates are the internal body framework (Endo skeleton) but aside from that the vertebrates have body that is consisted of a head, trunk, and tail (in some anilmals). The eyes, ears and nose are all located at the head they have cranial and spinal nerves, a spine that is composed of bony segments called vertebra, a closed circulatory system and many more.

The vertebrates are divided into 7 classes. First is the class Cyclostomata or Agnatha it includes jawless fish like lampreys then the class chondrichthyes fishes with cartilaginous skeleton and the osteichtheys the bony fishes, example are Bangus or Milkfish that is one of our primary food. Next is, class Amphibia that includes our favorite disected animal, the toad. The class Reptilia that includes turtle, alligators and the friendliest among them, the snakes. The Aves which includes the birds and lastly the class Mamalia. Mammals is divided into Monoteremes, the egg laying mammals like the duck billed platypus, the marsupials which carry their young in a pouch much like the Kangaroo and Lastly the Placentals. Where we humans are classified into, because we posses a special structure the Placenta, to nourish our unborn young for a long period of time before birth.

I am very thankful that I was born in Homo Sapiens Sapiens in Class Mammalia that is included in the Phylum Chordata that belongs in the Animal Kingdom. I now learned that each kingdom has its own distinct features. And I Love Animal Kingdom!

-Talitha Mary Ricafort