Question

What are the 5 main animal groups?

Answer 1

Hint: The vertebrates are the animals that have a vertebral column. It is a subphylum under the Phylum Chordata. The notochord that is present during the embryonic period is replaced by the vertebral column at maturity in the members of vertebrates. The vertebrates have heart, kidney and paired appendages.

Complete answer:
For the easy study of vertebrates, they are classified into five main groups- fishes, reptiles, amphibians, aves and mammals.
Fishes- fishes consist of mostly fishes that are adapted to live in water. They are cold blooded with two chambered hearts. They respire through gills. Their bodies are streamlines and tails help them to swim in water. Examples include hagfish and dogfish.
Reptiles- class Reptilia includes animals that have creeping or crawling type of locomotion. They usually have a three-chambered heart except crocodiles which have a four-chambered heart. The body of reptiles is covered by dry skin and scales. They are cold blooded animals that mostly live on land. Crocodiles, cobras, and lizards are some examples of crocodiles.
Amphibians- Amphibians include animals that can live in both terrestrial and aquatic habitats. They have three-chambered hearts and are cold blooded. Indirect development occurs in them. They lay eggs (oviparous). They can respire through lungs, gills and moist skin. Frog, tree frog, salamander are examples of amphibians.
Aves- Class Aves includes birds. Their most important feature is the presence of feathers. They have four-chambered hearts and are warm blooded animals. Most of the birds can fly except ostrich. Examples include parrot, sparrow etc.
Mammals- mammals are the animals that are characterized by the presence of body hairs and mammary glands. The mammary glands help to feed young ones. Respiration is through the lungs. They are warm blooded with a four-chambered heart. Humans, rabbits, cows etc. are examples of mammals.

Note:
Kingdom Animalia comprises eukaryotic, multicellular organisms that are heterotrophic. It consists of animals that do not have cell walls in their cells. The animals store their food in the form of glycogen or fat. They engulf their food i.e. they are holozoic.