11291_CEdu_Issue8_Spring_v.03 06/01/2004 16:37 Page 1

ConservationConservation Education

SPRING TERM 2004 ISSUE EIGHT

Published by the Young People’s Trust for the Environment Suite 29 Yeovil Innovation Centre, Yeovil, BA22 8RN Tel: 01483 539600 Peter Littlewood writes… email: [email protected] Web site: www.yptenc.org.uk When I’m out in the field with a group of young ISSN 0262-2203

Director: Peter Littlewood people, nothing captures the imagination like a sighting of an animal species. It could be something as commonplace It was the Swedish scientist, Carolus as a rabbit nibbling some grass, or as Linnaeus, who first came up with the dramatic as a peregrine falcon on idea of classifying animal and Contents the lookout for prey or plant species in different perhaps a group of roe deer families, and it was he also crossing the path ahead who came up with the 2 Looking at of us. Perhaps it could binomial nomenclature even be a dragonfly that (double-barrelled Living Things has caught a bee on the naming format) that we wing, and is now sitting have used ever since to contentedly (and audibly) give names to species. In munching its way through 1753 he published his 3 Naming Living the bee’s exoskeleton. comprehensive guide to the Plants are fascinating too. What 7,700 plant species that had been Organisms – about the sundew, which lures discovered at that time, and in 1758, he unsuspecting flies to a sticky end in its published his comprehensive guide to Classification clutches? Or the wild arum, the berry- all 4,400 known animal species. like fruit of which can be fatal when We have since discovered countless 4 A Qu ick Look eaten, even in small doses? Or perhaps thousands of new animal and plant imal an ash tree, with its flexible wood that species, all of which have been given at the An was so valuable in the names using Linnaeus’ system of Kingdom construction of longbows? classification. We are still Curiosity grows. There is an discovering new species. enormous diversity of animal There is so much still to find A and plant species in the and learn more about. Why 5 Detailed Look a British countryside, if you not encourage your class t Vertebrates take time to look. Sundew to take a look around the Once eyes have been opened, school playground (when “What’s that?” is a question that the weather gets warmer again) Cold – will inevitably be asked, and frequently. and see how many ‘new’ species they Warm or can discover and identify?! 7 the Often the answer is quite Controlling straightforward, but sometimes, in the ture case perhaps of a small beetle, or Tempera perhaps a kind of spider, there is no common name for them, probably now? because they’re not that common! In that 8 Did you k case, we have to resort to an often strange sounding pair of Latin words, Class which together identify the species, ification and it may well be that we find them Challenge by looking them up in a field guide. We can’t know everything – there’s just too much to see! 11291_CEdu_Issue8_Spring_v.03 06/01/2004 16:38 Page 2 Looking at Naming Living Organisms - Classification Many living things have an everyday name. Some of them even have several Living Things different everyday names. For example, the wild plant usually called Lords and Ladies is also known as ‘cuckoo pint’, ‘jack in the pulpit’, ‘Adam and Eve’ and What exactly is an animal? Well, it’s a living ‘sweethearts’ in different parts of Britain. organism. Anything that is alive is a living Sometimes different living things are Linnaeus’ system gives each living thing Their phylum is called vertebrates organism. How do we know if something is alive? given the same everyday name. For two parts to its name. The first part of its because they have a backbone. example, the bird known as a robin in name is the name of the GENUS group to The phyla (plural of phylum) come You can tell if an animal is alive by giving flowers, trees, dogs, birds, insects and Britain is different from the bird which it belongs. The second part together in the largest group of all, it a prod – if it moves away, then it’s many more. Some organisms look very known as a robin in the USA. of the name is the organism’s known as a KINGDOM. The two most alive! But not all living organisms move. much alike but some are very different. Everyday names can SPECIES name (there may well known kingdoms are the animal You can prod a tree as hard as you like Biologists (people who study the therefore cause a lot of be several species within a kingdom and the plant kingdom. It is and it won’t move away! But trees are science of life) have estimated that confusion! This is why genus). This classification usually very easy to tell the difference living things. there are at least 35 million species every one of the 5 million method is called the between a plant and an animal. What then is a living organism? It is (particular kinds of living organisms) on living organisms known binomial Most animals move from something which can grow, respire Earth. So far only 5 million of them have to Science has been system (this place to place, whereas (take in oxygen), excrete (get rid of been discovered and classified. Most of given a special USA Robin comes from plants do not. Most waste), reproduce and is sensitive to the “unknown” millions awaiting biological name. This Latin words plants have green leaves changes in its surroundings. Some discovery live in tropical rainforests. means that people are able to meaning ‘two and use them to capture living organisms can move. This enormous variety of life on Earth is describe a particular living thing to one names’). The genus the Sun’s energy. Using If you look around you, you can see sometimes known as “biological another and be certain that they are name should always this energy, the plants many different organisms – people, diversity” or “biodiversity”. talking about the same organism. begin with a capital make their own food (a It helps us to decide which organism is letter; the species name process known as begins with a small letter. which if we can put them into groups Chipmunk photosynthesis). This is that have things in common. This For example, the red the most important ‘grouping’ is known as classification squirrel’s binomial name is difference between them. and it makes things easier to identify Sciurus vulgaris; the grey Animals cannot use the and study. Classification helps to make squirrel’s is Sciurus carolinensis. Note Sun’s energy directly, sense of biodiversity. that they both belong to the same so they have to genus, Sciurus. This is because they are eat other plants Red Squirrel In 1735, the Swedish naturalist Carolus tree-climbing squirrels. Squirrels that Linnaeus worked out the classification or animals to get live mainly on the ground, such as energy. With these system that we use today. He separated chipmunks, belong to a different genus. living things into groups and gave differences in mind, identifying names to each particular The binomial system prevents any it is obvious that type of organism. confusion over everyday names. For squirrels belong to the animal kingdom. Linnaeus thought that as many example, each of the robins mentioned characteristics (distinctive features) as earlier has a binomial name, so that To summarise, here are the main groups possible should be used to describe ornithologists (people who study birds) used in classifying the British red species. Some species share can distinguish between them. The squirrel, Sciurus vulgaris. characteristics with other species and North American robin’s name is Turdus migratorius and the British robin’s name some characteristics are unique to the Kingdom Animalia, or animal species. This means that species with is Erithacus rubecula. the same characteristics can be put Linnaeus’ system classifies plants and Phylum Chordata, or vertebrate into groups. There are groups animals on several levels, using within groups. For example, Latin and Greek words. The Class Mammalia, or mammal there are several species of squirrels are members of a squirrel but they all share a particular FAMILY of animals Order Rodentia, or rodent that belong to the ORDER number of characteristics, Family Sciuridae – the squirrel called rodents (which such as bushy tails and family (rodents with a includes other animals with long, sharp front teeth. This bushy tail) means that they can be long, sharp, gnawing front put into the same groups. Lords and Ladies teeth, like mice and rats). The Genus Sciurus – the squirrels However, each species of rodents belong to the CLASS that climb trees squirrel has its own distinctive called mammals (animals whose features, which means it has to be given young are fed on their mother’s milk and Species Sciurus vulgaris – the its own particular name. A species is a usually have fur). Mammals belong to an squirrel with bright, single organism, not a group. even bigger group called a PHYLUM. chestnut fur and ear tufts 2 3 11291_CEdu_Issue8_Spring_v.03 06/01/2004 16:38 Page 4 A Quick Look at A Detailed Look at the Animal Kingdom the Vertebrates Animals have been on this planet for over a billion years and the variety of animal life is enormous – from the As we have seen, vertebrates are the animals with a gigantic whales that swim in the oceans to the tiniest of backbone. They are probably the most well known of all “bugs” that live buried in the soil. animals and include the world’s largest, the fastest, Scientists have named almost includes the classes of insects, sponges. About 10,000 species. Most and the most intelligent species on Earth. two million species of arachnids (spiders & live in the sea, attached to rocks etc. animal and more are relatives) and crustaceans Cnidarian Phylum: Soft, jelly-like This does not mean that they are more important than the they breathe air with discovered every year! (crabs and relatives). animals with tentacles and invertebrates, but because they are larger we notice them lungs and feed their Classifying them has Mollusc Phylum: stinging cells around their more. Many of them are also very useful to us, providing young with milk. become very complicated! There animals with a mouths. About 8,000 – food and clothing. are over thirty phyla of animals Primates Order: there are soft body that 9,000 species. Most live We will now look more closely at the characteristics of the and they are further split into several about 356 species of primate, sometimes have a hard in the sea. Examples are classes, orders and families. Some five classes of vertebrates. ranging from tiny lemurs to the shell. About 100,000 jellyfish, corals, sea families contain thousands of species. huge gorillas. This is the order to species. Examples are anemones and hydra Mammals which we humans belong and our Here is a list of just a few of the most snails, slugs, octopuses, (tiny cnidarians that These animals all feed their young on milk produced by the closest relatives are the great apes well known phyla of animals: squid, oysters and clams. live in freshwater mother’s mammary glands (after which the class is – gorillas, chimpanzees and habitats like ponds). named). Most mammals give birth to live young Chordate Phylum: the vertebrates, Annelid Phylum: worms orang-utans. All and almost all mammals have fur or hair which are all the animals with a with a segmented Echinoderm Phylum: primates have a Jellyfish backbone. There are five body. About 12,000 animals usually with spiny covering their bodies. large, domed classes of vertebrates – species. Examples are bodies, divided into five equal Biologists have divided the mammals into braincase and mammals, birds, reptiles, earthworms and leeches. parts or “arms”. About 6,000 species, several different groups. To date there are forward-facing eye amphibians and fish. living either on the seashore or seabed. Nematode Phylum: the about 21 orders, 140 families and 4,475 sockets. Monkeys and Examples are starfish and sea urchins. Vertebrate animals make nematodes, also called species. Here are a few of the orders: gibbons are also members of up less than 3 per cent of roundworms, are very Platyhelminthes Phylum: also called Carnivora Order: called carnivores. These the primate order. all the world’s animals. All common, small worms flatworms, they are worms with soft, are predators (hunting animals) that eat All the above orders include the the rest are collectively with no segments. About flat bodies. About 17,500 species. Most other animals. Examples are dogs, cats, Ring-tailed Lemur mammals that are known as known as invertebrates – 20,000 species. Some are are parasites, living inside other bears, weasels, otters, skunks and the meerkat. placentals. This means that their animals without a backbone. parasites, living inside other animals, but some live in the sea or Insectivora Order: called insectivores. Small mammals babies complete their development inside the animals and plants. freshwater habitats. Examples are Arthropod Phylum: the largest phylum mother attached to her by a placenta. Through this tapeworms and liver flukes. that eat insects and other invertebrates. Examples are in the animal kingdom, made up of Porifera Phylum: the simplest of all shrews, moles and hedgehogs. placenta the baby receives food and oxygen and wastes millions of species with “jointed legs” – animals belong to this phylum – the pass from the baby to the mother across the placenta. Chiroptera Order: this is the order for the bats – the only Most mammals are placentals, but there are mammals that can truly fly. Bats make up almost a two orders of mammals whose quarter of all mammal species. members do not have placentas. The Duck-billed Platypus Rodentia Order: called rodents. This is the However, they do feed their young largest order of mammals – over 40% of with milk. The two orders are: mammals are rodents. They all have long Monotremata Order: the front teeth (incisors) adapted for monotremes are egg-laying gnawing. Most rodents are herbivores mammals. There are five (eat plant food). Examples are mice, species – the duck-billed rats, voles, squirrels, guinea pigs, platypus from Australia, and hamsters and beavers. four species of spiny anteaters Lagomorpha Order: these ‘rabbit like’ (echidnas) from Australia and mammals have long incisors like the New Guinea. rodents but they have two sets instead of Marsupialia Order: the just one and their skulls have a different marsupials are mammals that give structure. They are all herbivores. Lagomorphs birth at a very early stage of the include rabbits, hares and pikas. young’s development and they develop in Cetacea Order: the largest animals in the world are the mother’s pouch (a marsupium) attached to a cetaceans – the whales. Their cousins, the dolphins and milk nipple. There are 292 species of marsupial, belonging porpoises belong to this order too. Well adapted for life in to 22 families. Examples are kangaroos, wallabies, water, with a fish-like, hairless body, but like all mammals opossums, wombats and the koala. 4 5 11291_CEdu_Issue8_Spring_v.03 06/01/2004 16:39 Page 6

Birds Reptiles called the Anura Order. There are 29 families of frogs and toads and 4,380 Birds are easy to recognise, as Reptiles are vertebrates with dry, thick species. they are the only animals skin covered with hard scales. Most Warm or Cold – Controlling with feathers. They reptiles lay soft, leathery-shelled Amphibians reproduce by laying eggs in have hollow bones eggs on the land, but some give water and the young (tadpoles) have to and the feathers birth to live young. There live and develop in a watery habitat allow many bird are 4 orders – here such as a pond. The tails of frog and toad tadpoles the Temperature species to fly. Birds are the most well reproduce by laying known ones: shrink during their development, unlike hard-shelled eggs. Chelonia Order: newt and salamander The mammals and birds are the There are many zoologists usually amphibians that keep different types of birds refer to all the their tails throughout and they are usually members of this order most widespread vertebrates, their lives. grouped into 29 orders. Here are (there are 11 families and a few of those orders: 294 species) as turtles. FISH: fish were the first living in every major habitat in the Passeriformes Order: the passerines Normally we know the ones vertebrates to appear on are known as perching birds and they that live in the sea as turtles, the Earth and they form the world, even surviving the freezing make up the largest order in the bird land-living ones as tortoises and we call biggest group of vertebrates. There world. There are about 80 families and the turtles in fresh water terrapins. They are about 24,500 species and because temperatures of the polar seas. about 5,500 species. The familiar all have a hard shell that helps to some fish are different in many ways to This is because they are warm-blooded, which means that songbirds of the garden are passerines. protect them from predators. others, biologists divide them into 4 the temperature of the inside of their body remains the Chameleon Examples are robins, thrushes, separate classes and 62 orders. Squamata Order: the snakes and lizards same all the time. This allows them to keep active whatever swallows, cuckoos, sparrows and The largest class of fish, called belong to this order. The snakes are put the temperature of their surroundings. finches. into a group of their own (a suborder) Osteichthyes, includes nearly all the Sphenisciformes called Serpentes of which there fish in the world, about 23,500 species. Fish, amphibians, reptiles and all invertebrates cannot Order: this is the are about 18 families (biologists These fish are often called ‘bony fish’, maintain a steady body temperature and they are known as order for the are not yet certain exactly how and their bodies are covered in thin, cold-blooded. This does not mean that their blood is cold all penguins, of which snake families should be wet, smooth scales. They breathe in the time but that their body temperature changes along with there is just one classified) and 2,900 species. oxygen from the water using gills that that of their surroundings. As the outside temperature rises, family with 17 Snakes have no legs and no are covered by a single flap. Fins and a the body temperature of a cold-blooded animal rises and it species. Penguins eyelids and they are all streamlined body help them to becomes more active. As the outside temperature drops, the cannot fly. They are carnivores, eating a move around their watery animal slows down. Some of these creatures manage to live excellent swimmers, variety of animal life. habitat with ease. Bony fish in temperate climates (those, like in Britain, where there is a have a swim bladder, a wide change of temperature throughout the year) by ‘flying’ through the water There is also sac filled with gas that hibernating in the winter. using their flipper-like wings. disagreement amongst helps the fish to control Falconiformes Order: sometimes called biologists as to how Some reptiles can control their body temperature to a Dormouse hibernating its depth in the water. raptors, the birds of prey are the top lizards should be certain degree by sunbathing. After spending a cold night Examples of bony fish predators of the bird world. There are 5 classified! However, they somewhere, perhaps underground, lizards often bask in the are catfish, eels, cod, families and 307 species. They are belong to a suborder early morning sun so that their bodies soak up the sun’s herrings and salmon. highly skilled hunters with their superb called Lacertilia of which heat energy and their body temperature is raised, allowing eyesight, strong legs and sharp beak there are about 19 families There are about 810 species them to become active as quickly as possible. and talons. Examples are falcons, and about 4,500 species. of another type of fish hawks, eagles and vultures. Crocodilia Order: the crocodiles, commonly called ‘cartilaginous fish’. Piciformes Order: woodpeckers and alligators and caimans were on this They belong to a class called toucans belong to this order. There are 6 planet at the same time as the dinosaurs Chondrichthyes. Their skeleton is not families and 380 species. They all have and have changed little over the last made of bone, but of cartilage (the firm, the same foot design, with two toes 65 million years. There are 3 white, smooth elastic material pointing forwards and two pointing families and 23 species of that covers the end of our backwards. This helps them to climb crocodilians and they are bones where they meet trees easily. They all nest in holes, the all fearsome predators other bones). woodpeckers having a strong, chisel- that spend a lot of their Cartilaginous fish do like beak to make their own nest holes time in water. not have a flap in tree trunks. covering their gills Amphibians and they have no These are vertebrates swim bladder. A with soft, thin, damp cartilaginous fish has skin that quickly special teeth that fall out dries out in dry air. and are replaced as the fish They live at least part of grows. The scales are tiny, their life in water, but they can sharp and tooth-like, giving the skin a live and breathe on the land too. texture like sandpaper. Some of the There are 3 orders of amphibians largest and most ferocious predators of but the frogs and toads make up by the sea belong to this group. Members far the biggest and best-known one, are sharks, skates and rays. 6 7 11291_CEdu_Issue8_Spring_v.03 06/01/2004 16:39 Page 8

Did you know? The blue whale (Balaenoptera The peregrine falcon (Falco The dwarf pygmy goby (Pandaka musculus) is the biggest animal on our peregrinus) is the fastest animal in the pygmaea) is the world’s smallest planet. It can grow to over 30 metres in world, reaching speeds of at least freshwater fish, which lives in the lakes length and weigh 200 tonnes – 124mph when stooping from and streams of Luzon in the Philippines. as much as 60 elephants! great heights. Its marine cousin, the dwarf goby The Goliath bird-eating The world’s biggest bird (Trimmaton nanus), is found in the Indo- spider (Theraphosa is the North African Pacific region. These tiny fish are the leblondi) is the ostrich (Struthia shortest known vertebrates and they world’s biggest camelus camelus). measure only 1cm! spider and lives in This flightless bird The largest fish in the world is the the rainforests of can reach 3m in whale shark (Rhincodon typus), which Surinam, Guyana and height and weigh grows up to 15m and weighs 20 tonnes! French Guiana. 156kg! Specimens with a leg- The largest reptile in span of over 27cm have the world is the been found! estuarine or saltwater Classification The biggest crustacean is crocodile (Crocodylus the giant spider crab porosus), which lives in the (Macrocheira kaempfer) of Japan. An tropical areas of Asia and the Pacific. Challenge! average rowing boat would easily fit The largest one ever recorded was over between its outstretched claws, which 7 metres (29 feet)! Imagine that you are a professional grow up to 3.5m across! The Chinese giant salamander (Andras biologist who has just discovered an The smallest mammal on Earth is the davidianus) is the biggest amphibian on exciting new species of animal. bumblebee or Kitti’s hog-nosed bat Earth. It lives in mountain streams in a Describe, and perhaps draw, its (Craseonycteris thonglongyai), from few areas of China and the largest physical characteristics in as Thailand. Its body is no bigger than a specimen ever found measured almost much detail as possible. In large bumblebee! 3 metres in length and weighed 65 kg! what part of the world did you make this discovery? Describe, along with a useful sketch, the animal’s habitat and behaviour? Make up a scientific name for this latest addition to the animal kingdom Young People’s Trust for the Environment that fits into Linnaeus’ binomial Suite 29 Yeovil Innovation Centre, Yeovil, Somerset, BA22 8RN system of naming. It would also email: [email protected] be useful to have an everyday Printed on paper sourced from Director: Peter Littlewood sustainably managed forests name for your animal.