Diversity in Living Organisms - Classification

Arthropoda

Phylum Arthropoda includes organisms with jointed legs. The word 'arthropod' literally means 'jointed legs' (arthro = jointed, poda = legs). This is the largest phylum in the animal kingdom and includes insects like cockroaches and butterflies, crustaceans like prawns and crabs, and arachnids like spiders and scorpions. They also have segmented bodies and an exoskeleton. Mollusca includes soft-bodied animals like snails, Annelida includes segmented worms like earthworms, and Cnidaria includes animals like hydra and jellyfish.

Homo sapiens

The scientific name of humans is Homo sapiens according to binomial nomenclature. 'Homo' is the genus name and 'sapiens' is the species name. This system was developed by Carolus Linnaeus where each organism gets two names. The genus name always starts with a capital letter and the species name with a small letter. When printed, it should be in italics, and when handwritten, both names should be underlined separately. Mangifera indica is the scientific name for mango tree. Homo erectus is an extinct human ancestor.

Fungi

Kingdom Fungi includes organisms that are heterotrophic and obtain their nutrition by absorbing nutrients from dead organic matter. They are decomposers that break down complex organic substances and absorb the simpler nutrients through their thread-like structures called hyphae. Examples include mushrooms, bread molds, and yeast. They play a crucial role in nutrient recycling in ecosystems. Plants are autotrophic and make their own food through photosynthesis. Animals are heterotrophic but ingest their food. Protists have varied nutrition methods including both autotrophic and heterotrophic m

Warm-blooded with feathers

Birds (Class Aves) are characterized by being warm-blooded animals with feathers covering their body. They maintain constant body temperature regardless of environmental temperature changes. Feathers provide insulation, help in flight, and give them their distinctive appearance. Birds also have a four-chambered heart, lay eggs, and most can fly. Reptiles are cold-blooded with scales. Mammals are warm-blooded but have hair or fur, not feathers. The combination of being warm-blooded with feathers is unique to birds.