Animal Kingdom: Important Questions

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Very Short Answer Questions [1 Mark]

Ques: What are the different levels or grades of the organisation?

Ans: There are four levels or grades of the organisation.

1. Cellular level
2. Tissue level
3. Organ level
4. Organ- system level

Ques. What is the definition of the term “incomplete digestive system” in animal kingdom?

Ans: The definition of the term “incomplete digestive system” in animal kingdom is given as a digestive system that has only a single opening to the outside of the body. This opening serves as both mouth and anus from a single place.

Ques. How would you define the term complete digestive system?

Ans: A complete digestive system can be defined as a system that has two openings, one is the mouth, and the second is the anus.

Ques. What do you mean by the diploblastic organisation in animals?

Ans: The organisation in which cells are arranged into two embryonic layers, external ectoderm and internal endoderm, is called diploblastic organisation. Organisms in the animal kingdom with this type of organisation are called diploblastic animals.

Ques. What is the triploblastic organisation?

Ans: If the developing embryo has a third germinal layer, i.e., mesoderm, in between the ectoderm and endoderm. Then, animals with this organisation are called triploblastic animals.

Ques. In which phylum do the adults exhibit radial symmetry and larva exhibit bilateral symmetry?

Ans: The adults exhibit radial symmetry and larvae exhibit bilateral symmetry in Echinodermata.

Ques. How are pneumatic bones and air sacs important in aves?

Ans: Pneumatic bones are hollow and filled with air that helps aves in flying. Air sacs are basically the air reservoirs. Plus, they regulate the body temperature and act as cooling devices in aves.

Ques. Name the major groups of the animals.

Ans: The major groups of the animals are Invertebrates and Vertebrates.

Ques. Provide a technical term for the following:

1. Blood filled cavity in arthropods
2. A stinging organ of jellyfish
3. Free-floating form of Cnidaria
4. Lateral appendages in aquatic annelids

Ans: 

1. Haemocoel
2. Nematocysts
3. Medusa
4. Parapodia

Ques. Mention the role of the radula in Molluscs.

Ans: The radula facilitates scraping and scratching the food. It also creates depressions in the rocks. Meanwhile, Molluscs use rocks as their habitat.

Ques. What do you understand about metagenesis? Explain with an example.

Ans: The phenomenon in which one generation of plants and animals reproduces asexually, followed by a sexually reproducing generation is known as Metagenesis. For example, Coelenterates.

Ques. What is bioluminescence? Elaborate with an example.

Ans: Bioluminescence is known as the production and emission of light by a living organism. It is a characteristic feature of phylum ctenophora of animal kingdom and some fungi. Additionally, a few terrestrial invertebrates. Jellyfish and fireflies exhibit the phenomenon of bioluminescence.

Read more: Difference Between Chordates and Non-Chordates

Short Answer Questions [2 Marks]

Ques. What is the difference between diploblastic and triploblastic animals?

Ans: Diploblastic animals are animals in which cells are arranged in two embryonic layers, i.e., internal endoderm and external ectoderm. For example, coelenterates. On the other side, triploblastic animals are those animals that have a triple layer mesoderm along with the ectoderm and endoderm. For example, chordates.

Ques. Name the classes of vertebrates with two, three and four-chambered hearts.

Ans:

1. Two-chambered hearts– Fish. One atrium and one ventricle are present. Thus, the oxygenated and deoxygenated blood mixes together.
2. Three-chambered hearts- Amphibians. Two auricles and one ventricle.
3. Four-chambered hearts- Mammals. Two auricles and two ventricles.

Ques. What is the function of feathers in birds?

Ans: The function of feathers in birds are as follows:

1. The feathers help in maintaining the body temperatures of birds.
2. They provide airfoil shapes for wings to help in flight.
3. They act as the secondary sex characters in both the sexes of birds. The colour and markings help in attracting mates.

Ques. How do endoparasites survive inside the body of the host?

Ans: The endoparasites have the following features which enables them to survive inside the body of the host:

1. Anaerobic respiration.
2. Exchange of gases through the body surface.
3. They possess an additional organ for attachment.
4. Well-developed reproductive organs.
5. A thick body covering is present.
6. They have no locomotory organs.
7. Tapeworms do not have a digestive system and absorb the digested food of the host.

Ques. Give an example of:

1. An oviparous mammal
2. Roundworm
3. A limbless reptile
4. Fish possessing poison sting

Ans:

1. Duck-billed Platypus
2. Ascaris
3. Ichthyophis
4. Trygon

Long Answer Questions [3 Marks]

Ques. Explain the class amphibia.

Ans: As the name itself indicates, Amphi means dual or double + bios means life, most amphibians can exist in both places, aquatic as well as terrestrial habitats. As. most of them have two pairs of limbs. Plus, the body is divisible into the head and the trunk; the tail may also be present in some. The amphibian skin is moist and it doesn’t have scales. Their eyes have eyelids and a tympanum represents the ear.

The alimentary canal, urinary and reproductive tracts open into a common chamber called the cloaca, which opens to the exterior through an aperture called the cloacal aperture. Respiration takes place through the gills, lungs, or by the skin. Moreover, the heart is three-chambered having two auricles and one ventricle. Basically, these are cold-blooded animals. Additionally, sexes are separate and fertilisation is external. They are oviparous. Moreover, the development is direct and sometimes indirect.

Examples of Amphibia: Bufo (Toad), Rana (Frog), Hyla (Tree frog), Salamandra (Salamander), Ichthyophis (Limbless amphibia).

Ques. What is the basis of the classification of Animalia?

Ans: The basis of classification of Animalia are: -

1. Notochord: It is basically a rod-like structure found in the chordates. However, it is not found in non-chordates.
2. Symmetry: It is basically about the arrangement of the body parts i.e., how they are arranged.. The arrangement is of three types, Asymmetrical, radially symmetrical, and bilaterally symmetrical.
3. Organisation: Animals have a cellular grade of organisation. So, their bodies are made up of cells, while others have tissues, organs, and organ systems.
4. Embryonic layers: Ectoderm, mesoderm and endoderm are three embryonic layers that provide rise to different organs in the body. These are also called germinal layers. Some animals are diploblastic, for example-sponges while others are triploblastic having three germinal layers.

Ques. What do you think can be the reasons for the arthropods to constitute the largest group of the animal kingdom? Elaborate your point with reasons.

Ans: It is true that the Arthropods are constituted as the largest group in the animal kingdom. The reason behind this statement is that they are found and habitat on the land, sea as well as air. Plus, they make up over three fourths of the currently discovered living and fossil organisms. We know that they range in distribution from the deep sea to the peaks of the mountains. Thick, tough, non-living chitinous cuticles in them form the exoskeleton which protects the organism from predators. It further helps to withstand temperatures up to 100°C or more along with preventing the water loss.

Very Long Answer Questions [5 Marks]

Ques. Describe the characteristic features of phylum Arthropods.

Ans: The phylum Arthropods is the hugest phylum of the scientific animal kingdom. It consists of more than 900,000 species, which include many of the economically important insects.

1. They have an organ-system level of the body organisation. They are acoelomate bilaterally symmetrical, segmented, and triploblastic animals.
2. The body of the arthropods is covered by a chitinous cuticle which forms the exoskeleton. The body segments are usually fused in order to form the head, thorax, and abdomen.
3. They have jointed appendages. The appendages are variously modified in order to form the antennae, mouthparts, pincers (chelicerae), or walking legs.
4. The digestive system is complete. Gills, such as book gills, book lungs, or tracheal systems are the respiratory system. Meanwhile, The circulatory system is open type.
5. The nervous system has much similarity to that of the annelids. Sensory organs include antennae for perceiving odour, receptors for taste, eyes (compound and simple), statocysts or balance, organs, and sound receptors.
6. Excretion in phylum arthropoda takes place with the help of green glands or malpighian tubules.
7. They are mostly dioecious. Reproduction is sexual. Fertilisation is usually internal. They are mostly oviparous.
8. Development may be direct or indirect, passing through many larval stages. Metamorphosis is the process of transformation of a larva into an adult.

Some common arthropods are (a) Centipede (b) Millipede (c) Beetle (d) Prawn (e) Spider and (f) Scorpion.

Examples of Arthropoda: Araneus (Garden spiders), Limulus (King crab), Buthus (Scorpion), Scolopendra (Centipede), Cancer (Common crab), Balanus (Barnacle), Lepisma (Silverfish), Periplaneta (Cockroach), Apis (Bee) Anopheles (Mosquito), Musca (Housefly), Charaxes (Butterfly), Attelabidae (Beetle), Locusta (Locust) and An axe (Dragonfly).

Ques. Describe the characteristic features of phylum Porifera.

Ans: Members of this phylum i.e., phylum Porifera are commonly identified as sponges. They are generally bilaterally symmetrical, diploblastic and marine with a significant water transport mechanism. Plus, they are considered as very primitive multicellular animals and have a cellular level of organisation.

In phylum Porifera, water can enter through tiny pores (Ostia) in the body wall, maybe directly or through the canal into a central cavity, spongocoel. From there it goes out through the osculum. This pathway of water transport is actually the canal system which facilitates food gathering, respiratory exchange, and removal of water. Choanocytes or collar cells line the canals and the spongocoel. Digestion is intracellular. Skeleton made up of spicules or spongin fibres supports the body.

Sexes are not separate; in other words, eggs and sperm are produced by the same individual. Sponges reproduce asexually through the fragmentation meanwhile sexually through the formation of gametes. Fertilisation is internal and development is indirect having a larval stage that is morphologically distinct from the adult.

Some examples of Porifera are Chalina, (Dead man’s finger), Euspongia (Bath sponge), Sycon (Scypha), and Spongilla.

Ques: Enlist the main features of Aschelminthes and give examples.

Ans: The main features of Aschelminthes are: -

1. They are known as roundworms because they appear circular in C.S.
2. Free-living, aquatic, terrestrial or parasitic.
3. The organization of the body is organ level.
4. Bilaterally symmetrical animals.
5. They are triploblastic and pseudocoelomate.
6. Alimentation is complete with the muscular or pharynx.
7. Sexes are Separate.
8. The body is covered by a cuticle.
9. Fertilization is internal.
10. Some examples of Aschelminthes are: Ascaris,Filarial worm (Wuchereria), Hookworm (Ancylostoma), and Pinworm (Enterobius).

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