The Animal Kingdom
Though there is great diversity in the animal kingdom, animals can be distinguished from the other kingdoms by a set of characteristics. Though other types of life may share some of these characteristics, the set of characteristics as a whole provide a distinction from the other kingdoms. The set of characteristics provided by Audesirk and Audesirk are:
- Animals are multicellular.
- Animals are heterotrophic, obtaining their energy by consuming energy-releasing food substances.
- Animals typically reproduce sexually.
- Animals are made up of cells that do not have cell walls.
- Animals are capable of motion in some stage of their lives.
- Animals are able to respond quickly to external stimuli as a result of nerve cells, muscle or contractile tissue, or both.
| This material is part of a brief overview of the topics studied in biology with the intent to highlight the connections to basic ideas in physics and physical science. |
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Index
Reference
Audesirk & Audesirk
Ch 22 |