Classifying Animals
Animals Are Classified, Or Grouped, By The Similar Characteristics They Share.
Phylum
The First Way Scientists Group Animals Is By Phylum. There Are Two Phylum In The Animal Kingdom, Those Animals With A Backbone Called Vertebrates, And Those Without A Backbone Called Invertebrates.
Classes
Within Each Phylum Are Smaller Groups Of Animals Called Classes. These Smaller Groups Differ From Each Other Even Though All Of The Classes May Or May Not Have A Back Bone. For Instance, Birds And Reptiles All Have A Backbone And Fit In The Vertebrate Phylum. Both Classes Even Lay Eggs, But They Differ In That All Reptiles Are Cold Blooded And Birds Are Warm Blooded. Reptiles Are Covered In Scales, And Birds Are Covered In Feathers.