Major Divisions of Kingdom Animalia and the Problem With Animal Phyla

The video tutorial by Professor Dave covers the classification of living organisms, focusing on taxonomy and phylogeny. It discusses the three domains of life and the outdated concept of four eukaryotic kingdoms, emphasizing the inaccuracies of the Protista classification. The tutorial then delves into the kingdom Animalia, exploring its complexity and the use of phylogeny to understand animal diversity. It introduces a cladogram based on the work of Giribet and Edgecombe, explaining its significance and the ongoing debates in animal phylogeny. The video also covers the major groups within bilateria, including deuterostomes and protostomes, and highlights the nine major animal phyla.

What are the main differences between deuterostomes and protostomes?

Identify the two main groups of protostomes mentioned in the text.

What challenges are associated with classifying the spiralia clade?

How does the classification of animal phyla impact our understanding of biodiversity?