Introduction to Animals

Characteristics of Animals
All animals are multicellular. Also, animals have many different kinds of cells that carry out different functions. All animals are eukaryoticcells contain a nucleus and other structures enclosed within membranes. All animals are heterotrophsconsume other living things for food.

Characteristics of Animals
Animals digest their food. Proteins, carbohydrates, and fats in foods are broken down into simpler molecules that can be used by cells. Many animals move from place to place in order to escape enemies and find food, mates, and places to live. All animals can reproduce sexually.

How Animals Meet Their Needs

Any trait that is inherited from previous generations and helps an organism survive in its environment is a(n) _____. In a changing environment, adaptations determine which individuals are more likely to survive and reproduce. This process is known as _____. NatureWorks: Adaptation

Adaptations for Obtaining Food

A wide range of physical features have grown out of the relationship between animals and the food they eat.

Case Study Snake Jaws: Connecting Structure and Function

Snakes and humans each have adaptations that help them eat. These structures are located in and around the jaws, which are the bones or bony parts that hold the teeth in place and give shape to the mouth. In this video, you will see how each structure is specialized. For example, humans are omnivorous, which means they eat both plants and animals. We have several kinds of teeth to help us eat. Snakes are carnivorous, which means they eat only meat or flesh. When a snake eats, certain ligaments (tissue that connects two bones) allow its jaw to swing wide openor "unhinge."

Think about what you have learned about the jaw structures of snakes and humans and how they function to get food into the body. On the next slide, decide which adaptations belong to snakes and which belong to humans.

Snakes

Humans

Fused upper jaw does not move Hinged jaw can swing open up to 150 degrees Specialized teeth suited for omnivorous diet Teeth bite and grind a meal Breathing tube allows swallowing a meal without chewing Teeth are positioned to snag and pull in

Adaptations: Ways to Fit InRead it!

Quiz
1. Which of the following mouth structures are features NOT found in snakes called constrictors?
a. Curved teeth. b. Heavy bones. c. Venom glands.

2. When it comes to eating, which of the following adaptations is true of humans but not of snakes?
a. A breathing tube allows them to fill their mouths with food. b. They chew food before swallowing. c. Their top and bottom jaws can open up to 150 degrees wide. d. undefined

3. If you were an animal and your favorite food grew at the top of a tree, which of the following adaptations might help you get food?
a. A long neck. b. A trunk. c. A strong grasp or grip (for holding on). d. All of the above.

evolve digestion adaptation feature survival

4. The process of _____ occurs more quickly in humans than it does snakes. 5. A change in the way an animal acts that helps it live better in its environment is called a behavioral _____. 6. These kinds of changes do not occur overnight in a single animal; rather, they _____ over time in a species. 7. How well an animal species fits in with its surroundings affects its _____. 8. One _____ that varies greatly among birds is the shape of their beak.

Adaptations for Obtaining Food

Animals have different adaptations that make it easier for them to get the food they need for survival. Herbivores eat only plants. Because plants contain less energy than other foods, herbivores must eat more and in greater amounts.
Examplesrabbits, deer, butterflies The Wildlife Web: Producers and Herbivores

Adaptations for Obtaining Food

Carnivores eat only other animals. Most capture and kill, but some are scavengers and eat only animal remains. Meat has more energy, so carnivores dont eat as much or as often as herbivores.
Examplessharks, cats, raptors The Wildlife Web: Herbivores and Carnivores

Adaptations for Obtaining Food

Omnivores eat plants and animals. Examplesbears, raccoons, humans

Detritivores are animals that eat detritus (decaying matter) Examplesbeetles, millipedes, worms
Additional Resource: NatureWorks: Decomposers and Scavengers

Other Structural/Physical Adaptations

Coloration Deceptive Colorationwhen an organism's color fools either its predators or prey. There are two types of deceptive coloration:
Camouflage- Camouflage helps an organism blend into its surroundings. Mimicry- Some animals look like or mimic other things.

Advertising Colorationwhen an organism uses color to be noticed. Advertising coloration can be used to either warn or attract animals.

Masters of Disguise
The natural world is filled with animals trying to eat other animals and trying to avoid being eaten. This pressure to find food or to keep from becoming someone else's dinner has, over millions of years, produced an incredibly effective way to escape detection by predators or prey: camouflage. This video segment explores the world of camouflage, including some of the methods and benefits of this important evolutionary strategy. Footage from NOVA: "Animal Impostors."

Behavioral Adaptations
Behavioral adaptations are the things an animal does in order to survive. Examples include:
Using chemicals to escape predators

Examples continued Moving faster than predators

Traveling in groups
Describe how these adaptations help these animals survive.

Animal Defenses
With their powerful strides and flashing teeth, often it seems that predators have the upper hand in the battle for survival. This video segment reveals an arsenal of strategies animals use for their own defense, suggesting that some prey animals are not nearly as vulnerable as they may seem.

Animal Classification
When classifying animals, scientists start with the following characteristics 1. Vertebrate or Invertebrate?
Vertebratesanimals with a backbone
Examplesfish, frogs, snakes, birds, humans

Invertebratesanimals without a backbone

Examplessponges, jellyfish, clams, worms, insects 97% of all animal species are invertebrates!

2. Symmetry
Animals with no definite shape are called asymmetrical. Animals with body parts arranged in a circle around a center point have radial symmetry. Animals that can be divided into right and left halves that are mirror images of each other have bilateral symmetry. This includes most animals.

Asymmetry

Radial Symmetry

Bilateral Symmetry