How do animals adapt to the environment?
Because of their biodiversity, animals are successful life forms on Earth. Animals range from the small worker ant to the vast underwater blue whale. Each one of these creatures have their own unique abilities which helps them survive in the wild by catching prey and hiding from predators. Animals are like all other life forms such as bacteria, single celled organisms and plants, but they are the most intelligent which is why they have developed this wide range of biodiversity.
Here are examples of the biodiversity of animals:
Honey Pot Ants: These ants store honey in their bodies in their nests. In dry seasons, worker ants will feed on honey stored in some of the ants' bodies because then desert flowers, nectar and small insects are scarce. These ants are also eaten by Aboriginals as a source of food - they taste very nice!
Short Beaked Echidna: These echidnas are one of the few animals that are mammals but lay eggs (monotremes). A coat of short hair insulates the echidna from the cold such as at night or in Winter. The outer layer are spines which defend it from predators. These animals have long snouts which help them sense electrical signals from insects' bodies. Blue Ringed Octopus: These animals live in tide pools in the Pacific Ocean. When threatened, you can see their bright blue rings on their yellow bodies. This is a sign of aggravation, and they will bite the predator with a deadly poison which nearly always kills them. They will also use venom in their prey, but this is less toxic and dangerous. Snow Leopard: Because snow leopards live in the cold mountains of Central Asia, they have a thick coat of hair which keeps them warm. They can jump up to 15 metres, which is useful for catching prey such as sheep. This is why they can catch prey many times their weight. Peregrine Falcon: These raptors, or birds of prey, are the fastest animals on Earth. They can dive up to speeds of 320 km per hour. They hunt for other birds by diving at their incredible speed and catching them mid air. Peregrine falcons live in nearly every continent except Antarctica - in deserts, grasslands, mountains, forests and even cities where they breed and nest on top of high buildings. |
the animal classes:
There are a few main animal classes - the mammals, reptiles, fish, amphibians, birds and insects. These classes are the most known and successful ones of all the other animals. Other classes are arachnids, echinoderms, molluscs and crustaceans. Mammals give birth to live young, have fur or hair, are warm blooded and mammal mothers nurse their young with milk. Reptiles have scales, lay eggs and are cold blooded. Amphibians live on land and on water, have moist skin, lay eggs, are cold blooded and have webbed feet. Birds have feathers and wings, lay eggs, have 2 legs, has ear holes and are warm blooded. Insects have six legs, are invertebrates, have three body parts and lay eggs.
here are examples of scientific classification for animals:
The scientific classification for animals starts from Kingdom, then Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Subfamily, Genus and Species.
Lion: Animalia, Chordata, Mammalia, Carnivora, Felidae, Pantherinae, Panthera, P. leo
Big Eared Bat: Animalia, Chordata, Mammalia, Chiroptera, Vespertilionidae, Corynorhinus, C. townsendii
Clown Fish: Animalia, Chordata, Actinopterygii, Perciformes, Pomacentridae, Amphiprioninae, A. ocellaris
Lion: Animalia, Chordata, Mammalia, Carnivora, Felidae, Pantherinae, Panthera, P. leo
Big Eared Bat: Animalia, Chordata, Mammalia, Chiroptera, Vespertilionidae, Corynorhinus, C. townsendii
Clown Fish: Animalia, Chordata, Actinopterygii, Perciformes, Pomacentridae, Amphiprioninae, A. ocellaris