Classification of Various Animals - Class 5 Notes & Olympiad Questions

Classification of Various Animals

a) Animals live in different places called habitats. A habitat is where an animal naturally lives and provides them with things they need to survive, like air, food, water, and a place to live. For example, a lion's home is its den, which is found in the forest, which is its habitat.
b) Earth has different types of habitats such as oceans, deserts, forests, polar regions, mountains, and freshwater bodies.
c) When a habitat changes, animals struggle to adapt quickly, which makes it hard for them to survive.
d) Adaptation is the ability of living things to adjust to their environment. It's like their way of changing themselves to fit in and survive better.
e) Our planet is filled with a wide variety of animals, creating a rich and diverse ecosystem. The animals can be classified into a number of categories based on their differences.

Classification of Animals Based on their Food Habits

Just like us, animals also need food to grow and survive. There are different types of animals based on what they eat.

Herbivores

a) These are animals that eat plants and other plant parts. We can call them plant-eating animals too.
b) Herbivores have special teeth to help them eat plants. They have sharp cutting teeth in the front called incisors, which help them bite and tear the plants. And at the back, they have strong grinding teeth called molars, which help them chew and grind the plant food.
c) Some examples of herbivores are deer, elephants, rabbits, horses, sheep, and goats.
d) These animals rely on plants as their main source of food for their energy and growth.

Carnivores

a) There are also animals called carnivores, which are flesh-eating animals.
b) Some examples of carnivores include tigers, leopards, lions, wolves, and dogs.
c) Carnivores have special teeth that help them eat meat. They have a pair of long and pointed teeth called canines, which are used for tearing the flesh of their prey. They also have strong, sharp grinding teeth at the back to chew the flesh and bones.
d) Some birds like eagles, hawks, vultures, and kingfishers are examples of carnivorous birds. These birds have sharp and bent beaks, as well as strong claws, which help them catch their prey and tear the flesh.
e) Carnivores rely on other animals for their food and get the energy they need from consuming meat. Their specialized teeth and hunting skills make them well-equipped for catching and consuming prey.

Omnivores

a) Omnivores are animals that eat both plants and animals.
b) Some examples of omnivorous animals include cats, bears, cockroaches, crows, monkeys, hens, foxes, roosters, and human beings.
c) Omnivores have a well-developed set of teeth, including incisors and molars, which allow them to eat both types of food.
d) The incisors help omnivores bite and tear food, while the molars are used for chewing and grinding.
e) This versatile set of teeth enables them to consume a variety of foods, including both plant-based and animal-based sources.
f) Omnivores have the ability to adapt their diet based on the availability of different food sources in their environment. This flexibility in food choices allows them to obtain the necessary nutrients for their survival and growth.

Scavengers

a) There is a group of animals called scavengers that feed on the dead remains of other animals.
b) Vultures and hyenas are examples of scavengers. They play an important role in the ecosystem by cleaning up and recycling carcasses.

Parasites

a) Parasites are animals that live on or inside the bodies of other living animals in order to obtain their food.
b) Examples of parasites include lice, mosquitoes, and leeches. They attach themselves to the body of a host and use suckers or sucking tubes to suck the host's blood. This is how they get their nourishment.
c) Some parasites, like roundworms and tapeworms, live inside the body of the host. They feed on the host's blood and consume the digested food.
d) Parasites have developed various strategies to survive and obtain their food, even if it means relying on another living organism.

Rodents

a) Rodents, such as rats, have special teeth for eating.
b) They have sharp incisors in the front to nibble on their food and molars at the back to gnaw and grind their food. These teeth help them eat different types of food.

Unlike most animals, snakes don't have teeth for chewing. Instead, they swallow their food whole. They have flexible jaws and stretchy skin that allows them to consume prey much larger than their head.

Animals like frogs have long and sticky tongues that they use to catch insects. When a frog sees an insect, it quickly shoots out its tongue and grabs the prey. After catching the insect, the frog pulls its tongue back into its mouth, bringing the food along with it.

Classification of Animals on the Basis of their Organs of Breathing

All living organisms take in oxygen when they inhale or breathe in, and release carbon dioxide when they exhale or breathe out.

Breathing in Reptiles, Birds and Mammals

a) Reptiles, birds, and mammals, including humans, have a special way of breathing using their lungs. When mammals, like us, breathe, we take in air through our nose and mouth. This air travels down a tube called the trachea or windpipe and enters our lungs.
b) The oxygen from the air enters our bloodstream, while carbon dioxide, the waste product, is expelled from our lungs when we exhale.

Breathing in Aquatic Animals

a) Aquatic animals rely on their gills to inhale oxygen from the water. When a fish takes in water through its mouth, it then pushes the water out through its gills. As the water passes over the thin walls of the gills, the oxygen dissolved in the water enters the fish's bloodstream, providing it with the oxygen it needs to survive.
b) However, there are some exceptions among aquatic animals. Whales and dolphins, for example, breathe differently. They have lungs like mammals on land, so they need to come up to the water's surface to breathe in the oxygen present in the air. They do this by taking a breath at the water's surface before diving back down.

Breathing in Amphibians

a) Amphibians, such as frogs, toads, newts, and salamanders can live both on land and in water.
b) Amphibians have two different ways of breathing depending on whether they are in the water or on land.
c) When they are in water, they rely on their skin to absorb oxygen, and when they are on land, they use their lungs to breathe in oxygen from the air.

Breathing in Insects

a) Insects, such as cockroaches and grasshoppers, have tiny openings on their bodies called spiracles.
b) These spiracles are like little breathing holes that insects use to breathe in and breathe out air.

Breathing in Worms

a) Worms, like earthworms, have wet and moist skin that helps them breathe.
b) Instead of using lungs or gills, earthworms take in oxygen directly through their skin. The moisture on their skin helps the oxygen pass through and enter their bloodstream.
c) This oxygen is important for worms to survive and carry out their activities.

Classification on the Basis of Movements in Animals

Animals move around for different reasons, and we call this movement "locomotion." They move from one place to another for a few important reasons:

a) Animals move to find things they need, like food, water, and a safe place to live.
b) Another reason animals move is to keep themselves and their offspring safe from the weather and predators.

Movement in Terrestrial or Land Animals

When it comes to land animals, they have different ways of moving around. Most of them have two pairs of limbs: the front limbs (forelimbs) and the back limbs (hind limbs). Some examples of how these animals use their limbs for movement are:

a) Animals like tigers, lions, elephants, cows, and camels use both their forelimbs and hind limbs to walk, run, and climb. They rely on all four of their limbs to move around on land.
b) Animals like giraffes and deer have long, slender legs that help them run at great speeds, escape from danger or chase after their prey.
c) Tigers, wolves, cats, lions, and dogs have a soft pad underneath their paws, which enables them to move silently without making much noise. This helps them in hunting and sneaking up on their prey.
d) Rabbits and hares have large muscular hind legs that they use primarily for jumping and leaping.
e) Unlike other animals, humans primarily use their hind limbs (legs) for movement. We rely on our legs to walk, run, jump, and perform various activities.
f) Snakes have a unique way of moving without any legs. They use their muscles and scales to push their bodies forward, allowing them to slither and crawl across different terrains.

Movement of Aerial or Air-Borne Animals

When it comes to aerial or airborne animals, they have special adaptations for flying.

1. Birds

a) Birds are known for their ability to fly. They have wings that are modified forelimbs covered in feathers.
b) These wings, along with powerful breast muscles, allow birds to generate the lift and thrust needed for flight.
c) Their hind limbs are used for perching, hopping, running, and capturing prey on the ground.
d) Birds have a streamlined body shape, resembling a boat, which helps them glide through the air more easily.
e) Their tails also play a role in controlling their flight. Additionally, birds have lightweight and hollow bones, which make them more efficient at flying.

2. Insects

a) Insects like butterflies and honeybees also have the ability to fly.
b) They have wings that are supported by thin membranes. These wings are attached to the middle part of their body.
c) By flapping their wings rapidly, insects can create enough lift to take off and fly.

Movement of Aquatic or Water–Borne Animals

When it comes to aquatic or water-borne animals, they have unique adaptations for moving through water.

Fish: Fish have a streamlined body shape that allows them to move efficiently through the water. Their fins play a crucial role in movement, balance, and changing directions.

Amphibians and Ducks: Some amphibians and ducks have webbed feet, which are helpful when they are in the water.

Penguins, Dolphins, Whales and Sea Turtles: These marine animals have forelimbs that are modified into flippers. Flippers are specialised structures that aid in swimming and manoeuvring in the water.

Migration

a) Migration is a term used to describe the long-distance movement of animals from one place to another.
b) Many animals, such as birds, butterflies, whales, and even some mammals like deer or elk, embark on these incredible journeys. They travel in groups, called flocks or herds, to make the trip easier and safer.
c) They do this to find food, water, suitable places to reproduce, or even to escape harsh weather conditions.

Classification of Animals on the Basis of Body Structure

Animals can be classified into two main groups based on their body structure: invertebrates and vertebrates.

Invertebrates

a) These are animals that do not have backbones. They come in various shapes, sizes, and forms.
b) Examples of invertebrates include corals, lobsters, sponges, starfish, and sea cucumbers.
c) They exhibit a wide range of adaptations and live in diverse habitats, such as the ocean, forests, and even underground.

Vertebrates

a) These are animals that possess backbones, also known as vertebral columns.
b) They are further classified into different groups, including fish, reptiles, amphibians, birds, and mammals.

1. Fish: Fish are aquatic vertebrates that have fins and gills to breathe underwater.

2. Reptiles: Reptiles are cold-blooded animals. Examples of reptiles include snakes, lizards, turtles, and crocodiles. They have scaly skin and are found in a variety of habitats, from deserts to rainforests.

3. Amphibians: Amphibians can live both on land and in water. They are cold-blooded and lay eggs. Frogs, toads, and salamanders are examples of amphibians.

4. Birds: Birds are warm-blooded vertebrates with feathers and beaks.

5. Mammals: Mammals are warm-blooded vertebrates characterised by their ability to produce milk to nourish their young ones. They have hair or fur on their bodies. Mammals display great diversity, ranging from tiny bats to large whales.