All Animals have characteristics in common that set them apart from other phyla. These characteristics include being heterotrophic, being multicellular, having eukaryotic cells, lacking cell walls, having motility (mobility), diploidy, and sexual reproduction. Differences in their blastula formation, specialized cells and tissues, symmetry, and segmentation are used to determine common ancestors and group animals together.
What Do All Animals Have In Common?
Heterotrophic
Organisms that cannot manufacture its own food and instead obtains its food and energy by taking in organic substances, usually plant or animal matter, are heterotrophic. Animals that can manufacture their own food, or store energy such as sunlight in the bonds of organic compounds such as sugars are autotrophic.
Organisms that cannot manufacture its own food and instead obtains its food and energy by taking in organic substances, usually plant or animal matter, are heterotrophic. Animals that can manufacture their own food, or store energy such as sunlight in the bonds of organic compounds such as sugars are autotrophic.
Multicellular and Eukaryotic
Bacteria and other microscopic lifeforms can carry out all of life's functions with one single cell. Each individual animal, on the other hand, consists of multiple cells. Bacterial cells are very small and do not have membrane-bound organelles such as a nucleus, making them prokaryotic. Animal cells are larger than bacterial cells and have membrane-bound, like a nucleus and mitochondria, making them eukaryotic.
Bacteria and other microscopic lifeforms can carry out all of life's functions with one single cell. Each individual animal, on the other hand, consists of multiple cells. Bacterial cells are very small and do not have membrane-bound organelles such as a nucleus, making them prokaryotic. Animal cells are larger than bacterial cells and have membrane-bound, like a nucleus and mitochondria, making them eukaryotic.
Motility
Animal all have motility, the ability to move parts of their cells. Even sessile (stationary) animals like sponges have parts that move. part of why they are able to move is because they do not have cell walls.
Animal all have motility, the ability to move parts of their cells. Even sessile (stationary) animals like sponges have parts that move. part of why they are able to move is because they do not have cell walls.
Diploidy and Sexual Reproduction
All animals have the ability to reproduce sexually. This means that their DNA comes from two different parents. Because their DNA comes from two different parents, they end up with two sets of chromosomes. Having two sets of chromosomes, one from each parent, is called diploidy.
All animals have the ability to reproduce sexually. This means that their DNA comes from two different parents. Because their DNA comes from two different parents, they end up with two sets of chromosomes. Having two sets of chromosomes, one from each parent, is called diploidy.
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How Do We Tell Animals Apart?
Symmetry
Other than sponges, animals' body plans have some sort of symmetry, whether it's radial or bilateral as seen below.
Other than sponges, animals' body plans have some sort of symmetry, whether it's radial or bilateral as seen below.
Body Plans
The tissue layers of the gastrula go on to become specialized tissues in animals. In more complex animals, these tissue layers give rise to a coelom (fluid filled cavity). This cavity is in between the tissues of the Mesoderm. The presence or absence of a coelom is another distinguishing factor between animals.
The tissue layers of the gastrula go on to become specialized tissues in animals. In more complex animals, these tissue layers give rise to a coelom (fluid filled cavity). This cavity is in between the tissues of the Mesoderm. The presence or absence of a coelom is another distinguishing factor between animals.
Blastula Formation
When an egg cell is fertilized by a sperm cell, we call the fertilized cell a zygote. The zygote then rapidly divides, without gaining anymore mass, into a hollow ball of cells called a blastula. Next, an indentation occurs called a blastopore. This process is called gastrulation and the resulting ball of cells with a cavity is called a gastrula. This cavity later becomes the gastrovascular cavity. The gastrula gives way to three tissue layers, the Endoderm (inner layer), Mesoderm (middle layer), and Ectoderm (outer layer).
When an egg cell is fertilized by a sperm cell, we call the fertilized cell a zygote. The zygote then rapidly divides, without gaining anymore mass, into a hollow ball of cells called a blastula. Next, an indentation occurs called a blastopore. This process is called gastrulation and the resulting ball of cells with a cavity is called a gastrula. This cavity later becomes the gastrovascular cavity. The gastrula gives way to three tissue layers, the Endoderm (inner layer), Mesoderm (middle layer), and Ectoderm (outer layer).
Segmentation
Animals that are segmented have repeating sections along their body, each specialized to its portion of the body. These segments can be thought of as cars on a train. Each train car is similar, but some are highly specialized and perform different jobs. If damage occurs at one segment, it usually won't affect other segments of both an animal or a train.
Animals that are segmented have repeating sections along their body, each specialized to its portion of the body. These segments can be thought of as cars on a train. Each train car is similar, but some are highly specialized and perform different jobs. If damage occurs at one segment, it usually won't affect other segments of both an animal or a train.