Let us begin with the very basics. Think of any creature – bugs, birds, animals, fishes, or anything else. I can tell you that the creature you just thought of belongs to a group called the Animal Kingdom.

The Animal Kingdom is divided into two groups:

Invertebrates – All animals without back bones are called Invertebrates. Earthworms, starfishes, squids, snail fall in this category.
Vertebrates – All animals with back bones are called Invertebrates.

Now all the animals with backbones, vertebrates, are further split into smaller groups amphibians, reptiles, birds, fish and mammals. Are you curious to know what animals fall under which group? Let us explore, slowly and steadily.

The word amphibian means two lives – one on land, one in water. Look below to learn more about amphibians.

Did you know that the largest amphibian is Chinese Giant Salamander?

You might ask me a question about amphibians. What does coldblooded mean? Coldblooded animals are those whose bodies don’t automatically regulate their temperature. Thus, their body temperature depends on the temperature of their surroundings. On the other hand, warm-blooded animals can regulate their body temperatures. When it is cold outside, they can make their body heat to keep their bodies warm. When it very hot they can maintain their body temperature at a certain level.

Reptiles are often referred to as ‘creeping or crawling animals’. They have a bony external plate such as a shell and are all covered in scales. Tortoise, lizards, snakes, are all reptiles. The largest species of lizard Komodo dragon is also a reptile. Did you know that the saliva of Komodo dragon is so poisonous that no prey that’s been licked or bitten can get away?

Do I have to tell you a thing or a two about birds? All birds have wings, even the birds that can not fly. In the case of flightless birds, these redundant wings are often known as ‘flippers’.

These underwater rulers constitute a major part of the animal kingdom. Guess who are they? Fishes! Did you know that there are more than 30,000 known species of fish? Fish are covered in scales. These are often covered in a layer of slime to help their  movement through water.

Mammals are a very special group of vertebrates. Do you know why? Humans are mammals!! And so are dogs, whales, elephants, horses! The unique thing about mammals is that they have special glands that produce milk for their young ones. Ever seen a calf sucking milk from mama cow’s udder?

Here is a challenge for you now. All the animals that you see from now on, why don’t you try to guess which animal group they fall into? Shall we start with your pet dog? :)

Animal kingdom Photo Credits:

Crown                 http://pixabay.com/en/rich-cartoon-golden-gold-crown-42185/
Invertebrates     http://pixabay.com/en/flat-icon-apple-food-fruit-apples-36282/
Vertebrates        http://pixabay.com/en/cat-fighting-comic-tough-hurt-47896/

Amphibians
Frog                     http://pixabay.com/en/frog-face-cartoon-amphibian-worry-48234/
Salamander        http://pixabay.com/en/red-digital-amphibian-art-46815/

Reptiles
Turtle                   http://pixabay.com/en/turtle-view-cartoon-side-animal-41563/
Alligator              http://pixabay.com/en/cartoon-running-fast-travel-tongue-44596/

Birds
Bird1                    http://pixabay.com/en/outline-cartoon-birds-bird-free-29314/
Bird2                    http://pixabay.com/en/water-safety-cartoon-birds-bug-46205/

Fishes                  http://pixabay.com/en/fish-goldfish-animal-red-black-30837/