Classifying Animals

All animals have identifying features that help scientists classify or group them. By observing the following animals, reading the relevant signage, and recalling prior understandings, note particular characteristics that may be helpful with animal classification.

Observations Growling Grass Frog

Stick Insect Short-beaked

Echidna Common Wombat

Eastern Brown Snake

Black Rock Skink

Spoonbill Grey-headed Flying-fox (Fruit Bat)

Describe the body covering: scales skin feathers fur/hair

Does this animal • lay eggs? •give birth to live young?

Is this animal a vertebrate (has a backbone) or an in-vertebrate (lacks backbone)?

Describe (where possible) the animal’s natural habitat (home).

Describe (where possible) the animal’s diet.

Does the animal suckle its young?

Does the animal have a pouch?

Tick the class (and sub-class) you think this animal belongs to:

� reptile � amphibian � bird � insect � mammal � monotreme � marsupial � placental

� reptile � amphibian � bird � insect � mammal � monotreme � marsupial � placental

� reptile � amphibian � bird � insect � mammal � monotreme � marsupial � placental

� reptile � amphibian � bird � insect � mammal � monotreme � marsupial � placental

� reptile � amphibian � bird � insect � mammal � monotreme � marsupial � placental

� reptile � amphibian � bird � insect � mammal � monotreme � marsupial � placental

� reptile � amphibian � bird � insect � mammal � monotreme � marsupial � placental

� reptile � amphibian � bird � insect � mammal � monotreme � marsupial � placental

State the: scientific name (genus and species where possible)

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Classification is the ‘arrangement of living things into groups based on common characteristics and evolutionary descent. The common groupings from the most general to the most specific are: phylum (animals) or divisions (plants), class, order, family, genus and species.’ Heffernan, D.A. 1991, The Australian Biology Dictionary, Longman Cheshire, Melbourne, Australia, p.52