Animal Biodiversity: Introduction to metazoan and Phylogenetics
- Look at similarities and differences of animal groups - how to classify them
- Only looking at extant species
Metazoa = “having breath”
Characteristics
a) Multicellular
b) Body plan becomes fixed
c) Embryos pass through a blastula
d) Motile
e) Heterotrophs
Moroz et al. 2014 – genomic data comparison of diploblasts (exact sistergroup
relationships still unknown) suggest ctenophores as a very basal organism
1.3 million metazoan species described (30-40 phyla), majority are arthropods
Insecta Coleoptera (many beetles)
Undescribed metazoan species – 10 -100 million species
- Look at similarities and differences of animal groups - how to classify them
- Only looking at extant species
Metazoa = “having breath”
Characteristics
a) Multicellular
b) Body plan becomes fixed
c) Embryos pass through a blastula
d) Motile
e) Heterotrophs
Moroz et al. 2014 – genomic data comparison of diploblasts (exact sistergroup
relationships still unknown) suggest ctenophores as a very basal organism
1.3 million metazoan species described (30-40 phyla), majority are arthropods
Insecta Coleoptera (many beetles)
Undescribed metazoan species – 10 -100 million species
