Chapter 7: Diversity in living organism

WHAT IS CLASSIFICATION AND WHY DO WE NEED OF IT ?

Classification is the process of grouping living organisms based on their similarities and differences. Branch of
biology deals with it called taxonomy

Purpose
• Study organisms easily.

• Identify and compare different organisms.

• Understand their similarities and differences.

• Avoid confusion in naming organisms.

• Understand their evolutionary relationships.

Categorization
There are seven Category in classification and also known as “taxon”

(a) Kingdom: Topmost and largest category of Living organism. There are five kingdoms: Monera, Protista,
Fungi, Plantae and Animalia

(b) Phylum: It Constitute largest category in classification of animals and plants respectively and includes
related classes. Animals like fishes, frog , reptiles, birds and mammals have backbone all belongs to
different classes are placed in phylum Chordata.

(c) Class: Closely related orders constitute next higher category called class. On the basis of presence of
mammary glands, hairy skin and external ear, man, monkey etc.
(d) Order: A group of related families constitute next higher category called order. One order contains many
families. For example: Tiger and wolf both are different families Felidae and Canidae respectively but
they placed together in Carnivora order.

(e) Family: A group of genera with certain common characteristics forms a family. A family is a group of
closely related genera (plural of genus) that have many similar characteristics.

(f) Genus: A genus is a group of closely related species that have many similar characteristics. One genus
contains many species.

(g) Species: A species is the smallest unit of classification. It is a group of similar organisms that can
interbreed naturally and produce fertile offspring.
❖ Kingdom = Group of many Phyla

❖ Phylum = Group of many Classes

 ❖ Class = Group of many Orders

❖ Order = Group of many Families

❖ Family = Group of many Genera

❖ Genus = Group of many Species

Classification of Living Beings

Carl von Linnaeus (1758) divided living beings into two kingdoms- Plant Kingdom and Animal Kingdom

Kingdom Animalia
Based on the presence or absence of backbone, animals are classified as Non-chordates and Chordates.

Non-chordates: Animals are without a backbone such are Sponges, corals, worms, insects, spiders, butterflies,
snails etc.
Chordates: Animals have backbone like fish, frogs, snakes, lizards, spiders, butterflies etc.

Now Kingdom animalia is classified into phyla Porifera, Coelenterate, Platyhelminthes, Nematoda, Annelida,
Arthropoda, Mollusca, Echinodermata and Chordata.

Memory tip : P C P N A A M E C → Please Come Play Near All Amazing Marine Creatures

Non-Chordates Chordates
Internal skeleton absent. Internal skeleton present.
Backbone absent. Backbone present (in vertebrates).
Anus is terminal therefore tail is absent. Anus is on lower surface of body.
Nerve cord is ventral, solid, and single. Nerve cord is dorsal, hollow, and single.
Heart is dorsal (if present). Heart is ventral.
Haemoglobin, if present, is generally dissolved in Hemoglobin is present in red blood cells (RBCs).
plasma.

1. Phylum Porifera (Pore-Bearing Animals)

i. Porifera are fixed and plant-like organism commonly known as sponges.

ii. They have cell-aggregate level of body organization.

iii. Body is hollow and cylindrical.

iv. Body surface has numerous minute pores, through which water enter the body

v. Body wall has several interconnected canals.

vi. Water current brings food and oxygen for body cells.
 vii. They possess a hard internal skeleton made of spicules or spongin fibres for support. Examples are
Sycon, Spongilla and Euspongia etc.

2. Phylum Coelenterate/ Cnidaria (sac -like Animals)

i. Cnidarians have two-layered body wall which encloses the hollow space inside the body called
Coelenterate

ii. Opening of Coelenterate serves both as mouth and anus.

iii. Hard exoskeleton made up of CaCO3

iv. Mainly lives in sea water. Hydra is only who live in freshwater cnidarian. Examples Hydra, Jellyfish,
Physalia, Fungia etc.

3. Phylum Platyhelminthes (Flatworms)

i. Platy means flat and helminth means worm or these are flattened and ribbon-shaped or leaf like
appearance

ii. Mostly parasitic Animals

iii. Possess suckers and hooks for host

iv. These worms are without a body cavity or coelom

v. Alimentary Canal without anus, Example Planaria, Fasciola, Tapeworm etc.

4. Phylum Nemathelminthes (Roundworms)

i. Nemathelminthes (thread like worm) are unsegmented with false body cavity

ii. Either free or parasites in plants or animals

iii. Body is soft, cylindrical and tapering at the two ends.

iv. Mouth and anus are present in alimentary canal which is open at both the ends.

Examples are Ascaris, hookworm, Filaria etc.

5. Phylum Annelida (Segmented worms)

a. Annelids (little ring-form) have true segmented body.
b. Soft and long cylindrical body, divided into ring-like segments

c. True body cavity or coelom.

d. Digestive, circulatory and excretory organs are well developed

e. Alimentary canal has two openings – mouth and anus

6. Phylum Arthropoda
a. Arthropods (jointed – legs) have three layered and segmented body
 b. Body is divided into head, throax and abdomen.

c. Body is covered with a hard Chitinous non-living exoskeleton. They often cast off their old exoskeleton
and develop a new one. This is called moulting.
d. It includes terrestrial (spiders, scorpions, centipedes and millipedes), Aquatic (both fresh and prawn) like
Prawns and crabs and aerial insects like housefly and moth.

7. Phylum Mollusca (Soft-bodied Animals)

a. They Have soft and unsegmented body

b. Its Shell is formed of calcium carbonate that is calcareous Which is secreted by mantle and provide
protection to the body

c. Bodies divided into head, foot and visceral mass.

d. These are mainly aquatic and mostly marine animals like Unio (Freshwater mussel), Loligo (Squid).
Snail

8. Phylum Echinodermata
a. These are either star shaped, spherical or cylindrical.

b. These are sea animals, found on the sea crawling, swimming or attached.

c. There are no head and tail or right and left side.

d. Body surface is covered with calcareous spines or projections. For example, Asterias (Starfish), Echinus
(Sea Urchin), Brittle star

9. Phylum Chordata
a. These are Dorsal, tubular and hollow nerve cord.

b. Notochord present and is ventral to nerve cord

c. A series of pharyngeal gill-slits present in the pharyngeal wall at some stage in the life cycle.

Classification of Phylum Chordata

Subphylum Vertebrata

• Vertebrates are chordates with a backbone (vertebral column).

• Notochord is present in the embryo and is replaced by the vertebral column in adults.

• Nerve cord is differentiated into the brain and spinal cord.

• Body has two pairs of fins or limbs.

• Respiration occurs through gills (fishes) or lungs (terrestrial vertebrates).

Class 1. Pisces (Fishes)

• Cold-blooded, exclusively aquatic (freshwater and marine).

• Body is streamlined with fins for swimming.

• Respiration by 5 pairs of gills.

• 2-chambered heart (1 auricle + 1 ventricle).

• Skin is slimy and usually covered with scales.

Types of Pisces

1. Cartilaginous Fishes

• Marine only.

• Endoskeleton made of cartilage.

• Gills without operculum (gill cover).

• Heterocercal tail, ventral mouth, no swim bladder.

• Examples: Dogfish (Scoliodon), Shark, Skate, Ray.

2. Bony Fishes

• Endoskeleton made of bones.

• Found in freshwater and marine water.

• Gills covered by operculum.

• Homocercal tail, terminal mouth, swim bladder present.

• Examples: Rohu (Labeo), Catla, Carp, Flying Fish.

Class 2. Amphibia
• Live both on land and in water (dual life); first vertebrates to adapt to land.

• Body has 4 limbs (tetrapods).

 • Limbs are pentadactyl: forelimbs have 4 toes, hind limbs have 5 toes; claws absent.

• Skin is moist, glandular and without scales.

• Respiration by gills, lungs, skin or buccal cavity (mouth lining).

• 3-chambered heart (2 auricles + 1 ventricle).

• External fertilisation; life cycle includes tadpole larva.

• Examples: Frog (Rana), Toad (Bufo), Tree Frog (Hyla), Salamander.

Class 3. Reptilia
• First true terrestrial vertebrates.

• Cold-blooded and egg-laying.

• Two pairs of clawed, pentadactyl limbs (except snakes).

• Skin is dry, covered with scales/scutes to prevent water loss.

• Respiration by lungs.

• 3-chambered heart with a partly divided ventricle.

• Internal fertilisation; eggs are large, yolky and leathery-shelled.

• Tympanum (eardrum) lies in a tubular depression.

• Examples: Wall Lizard (Hemidactylus), Chameleon, Crocodile, Gharial, Tortoise, Cobra, Krait, Python.

Class 4. Aves (Birds)

• Perfectly adapted for flight.

• Body covered with feathers.

• Forelimbs modified into wings.

• Body is streamlined and skeleton is light (hollow bones).

• Neck is highly flexible.

• 4-chambered heart (2 auricles + 2 ventricles).

• Warm-blooded (homeothermic).

• Internal fertilisation; eggs are large, yolky and calcareous-shelled.

• Examples: Sparrow (Passer), Pigeon (Columba), Parrot (Psittacula), Crow (Corvus), Peacock (Pavo),
Stork (Ciconia), Ostrich (Struthio).
Class 5. Mammalia

• Warm-blooded and the most highly evolved vertebrates.

• Body covered with hair; skin has sweat glands and sebaceous (oil) glands.

• Mammary glands produce milk to nourish young ones.

• External ears (pinna) present.

• Two pairs of limbs with nails or claws. And has 4-chambered heart.

• Most are viviparous (give birth to young ones); Platypus and Echidna are egg-laying mammals.
• Examples: Human (Homo), Whale, Elephant, Monkey, Tiger, Dog, Cat, Kangaroo (Macropus), Rabbit
(Oryctolagus), Horse (Equus), Bat.