Vertebrates
Sea Stars &Urchins
Insects & Kin
Mollusks
Comb Jellyfishes
Jellyfishes
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The
Virtual
Museum of Natural History’s
International
CURATOR Project
Web
of Life
OUTLINE
OF ANIMAL LIFE WITH LINKS TO DATA SECTIONS
Last
Updated: January
2005
List
of Reviewed Links
|
| The
Web Of Life is your link to data accounts
for each species of living animal (sorry, not extinct species... yet).
These accounts are still being written, so don't expect all 1.62
million species to be on line for a while! However, all accounts will
include a variety of data fields: names, describer, range, photos,
diagnosis, description, natural history, reproduction, variation,
taxonomy & relationships, additional comments, location of type(s),
and literature. We have taken pains to screen literature and offer
lists only of quality publications. We exclude titles that are of poor
or dated quality, so we hope to assure you of accuracy when you follow
up on our sources.
As an added
convenience, each bibliographic citation is hyperlinked to a merchant
or society page, so if you wish to order a copy, all you have to do is
click on the citation. In return, merchants will donate a percentage
of proceeds to the operating budget of the VMNH. We are always
interested in adding new merchants to our lists and Museum Mall. |
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DOMAIN: EUKARYA
Definition:
Living
things that contain a membrane-bound nucleus within their cells; the
nucleus contains DNA in strands (vs. rings) that includes both coding
genes (exons) and non-coding "junk" sections (introns).
Oxidative metabolism essential.
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KINGDOM: ANIMALIA
Definition:
Multicellular organisms that lack cell walls, consume other living
things, contain cells with organelles (including mitochondria), and
possess both prokaryotic (in mitochondria) and eukaryotic types of
DNA.
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PHYLUM:
Cnidaria 
Stinging Jellies, Hydras,
Anemones, and
Corals
Definition: Animals
with extremely simple radial body development. There is tissue level
organization, nerves and balance structures and the only true organ,
gonads. All members possess tentacles containing stinging cells
(cnidocytes) from which the phylum derives its name. All forms marine
or aquatic.
Contains
anemones, corals, sea pens, hydras and jellyfishes.
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PHYLUM:
Ctenophora
Comb Jellies
Definition: Animals
with extremely simple biradial symmetry. There are eight rows of
guanine plates that provide propulsion. No more than two tentacles
present, all but one species without cnidocytes. All forms marine or
aquatic. Contains comb jellies.
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PHYLUM: Arthropoda
Insects, Crabs, Scorpions,
Spiders and kin
Definition: Animals
with external skeletons made of chitin, segmented bodies with jointed
appendages, and an open circulatory system. This is the largest group
of named animals on earth, including the insects, spiders, centipedes,
scorpions, crabs, lobsters, and horseshoe crabs.
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PHYLUM:
Mollusca 
Snails, Clams, Octopuses and kin
Definition: Animals
with a rasping tongue (radula), mantle and a fleshy foot which may be
modified into arms and tentacles. Contains snails, clams,
mussels, slugs, octopuses, squids, and nautiluses.
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PHYLUM: Chordata
Definition: Animals that possess the
following
characters at some point in their lives: 1) pharyngeal
gill
slits, 2) hollow dorsal nerve chord, 3) a flexible dorsal
vertebral
rod, and 4) a post-anal tail.
Informal Grouping:
Anamniota
Organisms in which embryos
are produced without amnion
membrane.
Non-Amniote
Classes:
Fishes
Amphibia
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Informal Grouping:
Amniota
Definition:
Primarily terrestrial
vertebrates, but includes
taxa (amphibians, whales, sea snakes) that
have become
aquatic or marine.
Includes animals that reproduce
via an
embryo with three specialized extra-embryonic membranes:
1)
allantois, 2) amnion, and 3) yolk sac. Additionally, they
possess 12
pairs of cranial nerves.
Classes:
Reptilia
(Birds)
Mammalia
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