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