Characteristics of Animal Groups

What makes a mammal a mammal?

• Usually covered in hair or fur

• Usually four limbs to aid movement

• Warm-blooded

• The female gives birth to live young

• The female feeds her babies on milk from her own body

What makes a bird a bird?

• Feathers

• Two legs

• Beak

• Wings

• Most can fly

What makes a reptile a reptile?

• Dry, scaly skin

• Usually four limbs to aid movement

• Lays eggs on land

• Cold-blooded

What makes an amphibian an amphibian?

• Returns to the water to reproduce

• Moist, smooth skin

• Cold-blooded

• Complete metamorphosis life cycle

• Lives in water or on land dependent on the stage of their life cycle

What makes a fish a fish?

• Covered in scales

• Gills

• Cold-blooded

• Fins for movement

• Tail

What makes a myriapod a myriapod?

• No wings

• Abdomen has many segments

• One pair of antennae

• Two body parts (head and abdomen)

• Each segment has one or two pairs of legs

What makes a mollusc a mollusc?

• Soft-bodied

• No segments

• Muscular foot

• Most have shells

• Most have tentacles for feeding and sensing

What makes an insect an insect?

• Three body parts (head, thorax and abdomen)

• Usually, one or two pairs of wings

• Six jointed legs

• One pair of antennae

What makes an arachnid an arachnid?

• No antennae

• Two body parts (head and abdomen)

• No wings

• Eight jointed legs

What makes a crustacean a crustacean?

• Two body parts (head and abdomen) protected by a hard outer shell

• No wings

• Abdomen often has segments (usually 19)

• Ten or more jointed legs

• Two pairs of antennae (one may be very small)