A comparison of different world lists I wanted to organise my bird photos and thought I would separate them into their families. With this in mind, I went to the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) website for a list of bird families. According to BTO, there are 9,845 living species of birds in 172 families … Continue reading "Classification of birds"
Read MoreBirds (Class Aves) are feathered, warm-blooded vertebrates that evolved from small theropod dinosaurs during the age of the dinosaurs. Modern birds are therefore the only living dinosaurs, with more than 11,000 species found across every continent and ocean. They occupy an extraordinary range of ecological roles — from ocean-wandering albatrosses and forest canopy specialists to desert runners … Continue reading "Class Aves – Birds"
Read MoreKingdom: Animalia > Phylum: Chordata > Class: Mammalia > Order: Artiodactyla Artiodactyla is an order that includes the even‑toed hoofed mammals as well as whales and dolphins. Most terrestrial members walk on two main toes and are plant‑eaters with specialised digestive systems, while the cetaceans are fully aquatic and adapted for life in water. Modern … Continue reading "Order Artiodactyla – Even-toed Ungulates and Cetaceans"
Read MoreKingdom: Animalia > Phylum: Chordata > Class: Mammalia > Order: Carnivora Carnivores are mammals adapted to feeding mainly on other animals, with strong jaws and specialised teeth for cutting meat. Many species are strictly carnivorous, while others are more omnivorous and will also eat fruit or other plant material. The order includes a wide range … Continue reading "Order Carnivora — Carnivores"
Read MoreKingdom: Animalia > Phylum: Arthropoda > Class: Insecta > Order: Odonata Dragonflies and damselflies This order includes some of the oldest and largest flying invertebrates to have ever roamed the earth and the fossil record for most modern families dates back to the Jurassic or Cretaceous period. The name Odonata is derived from the Ancient … Continue reading "Order Odonata"
Read MoreKingdom: Animalia > Phylum: Arthropoda > Class: Insecta > Order: Lepidoptera This is the second-largest order of insects with over 180,000 species comprising around 10% of all described species of living organisms. The name Lepidoptera comes from Greek and means ‘scale wing’ due to their wings being covered with microscopic scales, which are iridescent and … Continue reading "Order Lepidoptera"
Read MoreArthropods are bilaterally symmetrical invertebrates with segmented bodies, jointed appendages, and a rigid external skeleton made primarily of chitin, often strengthened with calcium salts. This exoskeleton must be shed periodically through moulting to allow growth. They are the most diverse and abundant animals on Earth, representing over 80% of all known species and occupying almost … Continue reading "Phylum Arthropoda — Arthropods"
Read MoreMammals are warm‑blooded animals with hair or fur that suckle their young. They first appeared over 200 million years ago and became the dominant land vertebrates after the extinction of the dinosaurs. Living mammals are divided into two subclasses: Prototheria and Theria. Prototherians include the egg-laying monotremes. Therians give birth to live young and are further … Continue reading "Class Mammalia — Mammals"
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