Within this Guide links are provided to useful internet resources for each major animal group.

Protozoa — 'unicellular' eukaryotes, may be referred to as protists, protozoans, unicellulates etc; often now included in a separate kingdom together with fungal protists and algae — as the Protista or Protoctista — a grouping of problematical and multiple lineage; many groups have representatives traditionally studied by both algologists and zoologists, leading to much confusion in terminology and classification; the scheme followed here takes a zoological viewpoint [links]

Sarcomastigophora

Mastigophora mastigophorans,
flagellates

Phytomastigophorea phytoflagellates,
groups include representatives which have chloroplasts and are photosynthetic

Chloromonadida chloromonads,
chlorophytes (Heterosigma)

Chrysomonadida chrysomonads,
chrysophytes, yellow-green algae (Mallomonas, Ochromonas)

Cryptomonadida cryptomonads,
cryptophytes, found all over the world — both free living
in moist places and parasitic in animals (Cryptomonas, Rhodomonas)

Dinoflagellida dinocysts,
dinoflagellates, dinomastigotes, dinophytes, mostly marine planktonic
but some freshwater representatives, may form 'red tides' (Gonyaulax),
be luminescent (Noctiluca), form symbiotic relationships
with coelenterates (Gymnodinium), and others (Peridinium)

Euglenida euglenoid
flagellates, euglenophyta, mostly inhabit freshwater enriched
with organic matter (Euglena), some marine or brackish,
a few are parasitic in animals

Prymnesiida prymnesiophytes,
haptophytes, golden motile algae viewed by marine biologists
as calcareous nannoplankton plankton and by palaeontologists
as coccolithophorids (Coccolithus, Prymnesium)

Silicoflagellida silicoflagellates
(Dictyocha)

Volvocida (Chlamydomonas,
Chloromonas, Dunaliella, Volvox)

Zoomastigophorea zooflagellates

Choanoflagellida choanoflagellates,
collar-flagellates, may be solitary (Salpingoeca) or
colonial (Proterospongia), colonial choanoflagellates
resemble sponges and it is thought that they might represent
what an ancestor of all metazoans might have been like

Diplomonadida some
freeliving in freshwater but most commensal or parasitic in
intestines of animals (Giardia, Hexamita)

Hypermastigida

Kinetoplastida include
the freeliving bodonids and parasitic trypanosomes (Leishmania,
Trypanosoma)

Oxymonadida

Proteromonadida
(Proteromonas)

Trichomonadida
(Trichomonas, Tritrichomonas)

Opalinata (Opalina)

Sarcodina made up of superclasses
Rhizopoda (amastigote amoebae and thecamoebae) and the Actinopoda which
includes the radiolarian groups

Lobosea

Gymnamoebia (Gymnamoeba)

Amoebida (Acanthamoeba,
Amoeba, Entamoeba)

Pelobiontida karyoblasteans,freeliving
amoeboid protists completely lacking mitochondria (Pelomyxa)

Schizopyrenida sometimes
called amoeboflagellates, common in soils, some are pathogenic
in man(Naegleria)

Testacealobosia

Arcellinida
(Arcella, Difflugia)

Himatismenida

Tichosida

Acarpomyxea (Leptomyxa)

Acrasea cellular slime moulds
(Acrasis)

Eumycetozoea includes cellular
slime moulds, the prosteliids (Ceratiomyxa) and dictyosteliids
(Dictyostelium, Polysphondylium), together with acellular,
plasmodial or true slime moulds — myxogastrids, myxomycota, myxomycetes
(Physarum)

Plasmodiophorea mostly obligate
parasites of plants (Plasmodiophora, Spongospora)

Filosea includes aconchulinids
and gromiids (Euglypha)

Granuloreticulosia includes
Foraminifera (Ammonia, Anomalina, Globigerina, Globorotalia, Trochammina)

Xenophyophorea (Psammina)

Acantharea radiolarian group

Polycystinea radiolarian
group

Phaeodarea radiolarian group

Heliozoea primarily freshwater
(Acanthocystis, Dimorpha, Raphidocystis)

Labyrinthomorpha labyrinthulids,
slime nets, form transparent colonies of individual cells (Labyrinthula)

Apicomplexa named for 'apical complex'
a distinctive arrangement of organelles at one end of the cell, all are spore
forming parasites of animals and include the haematozoan parasites of vertebrate
blood

Perkinsea (Perkinsus)

Sporozoea

Gregarinia gregarines (Gregarina,
Nematopsis)

Coccidia coccidians, malarial
parasites (Cryptosporidium, Eimeria, Hepatozoon, Isospora, Plasmodium,
Toxoplasma)

Piroplasmia piroplasmids
(Babesia, Theileria)

Microspora mostly intracellular parasites
of vertebrates (Glugea, Microsporidium, Nosema)

Ascetospora (=Haplospora) includes
the spore forming parasites Haplosporidia (Haplosporidium, Urosporidium)
and Paramyxea

Myxozoa (=Cnidospora) traditionally
considered protistan parasites but recent molecular evidence supports an origin
with parasitic cnidarians

Myxosporea myxosporidians,
parasites of vertebrates and often disease causing in fish (Ceratomyxa,
Henneguya, Kudea, Myxidium, Myxobolus)

Actinosporea actinomyxids,
parasites of invertebrates

Ciliophora ciliates, infusorians,
characterized by having cilia

Kinetofragminophorea

Gymnostomatia includes
Katyorelictida (Loxodes) and Prostomatida (Didinium)

Vestibulifera includes
Colpodida (Colpoda), Entodiniomorpha (Entodinium, Polyplastron)
and Trichostomatida (Balantidium, Dasytricha)

Hypostomatia includes Apostomatida,
Cyrtophorida and Nassulida

Suctoria (Trichophrya)

Oligohymenophorea

Hymenostomatida includes
Astomatida, Hymenostomatida (Colpidium, Paramecium, Tetrahymena)
and Scuticociliatida (Uronema)

Hysterocinetia

Peritrichia peritrichs
(Ophrydium, Trichodina, Vorticella)

Polyhymenophorea

Spirotrichia includes Heterotrichida
(Bursaria, Metopus, Stentor), Hypotrichida (Euplotes,
Oxytricha), Oligotrichida (Strombidium, tintinnids)

Hemimastigophora

Metazoa —
multicellular mitochondrial eukaryotes (together with plants, fungi and some
protists sometimes referred to as Crown Eukaryotes)

Invertebrates 'animals without
backbones'; here taken to include all non-chordate metazoans:-

Porifera poriferans, sponges, characterized
by pores in their outside walls through which water is drawn [links
]

Calcarea calcareous sponges
with spicules of calcium carbonate (Clathrina)

Demospongiae have a skeletal
network of spongin fibers and/or siliceous spicules, includes all known
freshwater sponges (Ephydatia, Haliclona, Spongilla)

Hexactinellida glass sponges
with siliceous spicules (Hexactinella, Rossella)

Sclerospongiae a polyphyletic
grouping

Stromatoporoidea fossil group
with massive calcareous skeletons (Stromatoporella)

Coelenterata (=Cnidaria) coelenterates,
mainly marine phylum characterized by cnida or nematocysts used in feeding;
characteristic body forms are the polyp (generally sedentary) and the medusa
(generally motile) [links]

Anthozoa includes most corals
& sea anemones, coelenterates whose living representatives lack
a medusoid 'jellyfish' stage in their life cycle

Ceriantipatharia black
corals, thorny corals (Antipathes, Cerianthus)

Octocorallia (=Alcyonaria)
alcyonarians, soft corals, sea pens (Alcyonium, Renilla)

Zoantharia (=Hexacorallia)
corals and sea anemones

Actiniaria sea anemones
(Actinia, Metridium)

Rugosa fossil rugose
corals, tetracorals (Acanthophyllum, Stylostrotion)

Scleractinia (=Madreporaria)
hard corals, stony corals, true corals (Acropora, Fungia,
Montastraea, Porites)

Tabulata tabulate corals,
fossil (Alveolites, Heliolites)

Zoanthiniaria (=Zoanthidea)
(Palythoa, Zoanthus)

Cubozoa box jellyfish (Carybdea)

Hydrozoa (=Hydromedusae) mostly
alternate between polyp and medusa stage, many are colonial

Hydroida freshwater hydras
& colonial hydroids (Hydra, Hydractinia, Obelia, Plumularia,
Tubularia)

Milleporina (=Milleporida)
hydrocorals, millepores (Millepora)

Siphonophorida (=Siphonophora)
colonial jellyfish (Physalia)

Scyphozoa true jellyfish (Aurelia,
Chrysaora, Rhopilema)

Ctenophora comb jellies, ctenophores,
jelly like motile marine organisms with rows of beating cilia or comb plates
(Beroe, Mnemiopsis, Pleurobrachia) [links]

Echinodermata echinoderms, marine
deuterostome organisms characterized by tube feet which form part of the water
vascular system, thought to possibly have a common ancestry with the chordates
[links]

Crinoidea featherstars, sea
lilies (Barycrinus, Metacrinus)

Echinoidea heart urchins, sand
dollars, sea urchins (Clypeaster, Echinus, Echinocardium, Hemicentrotus,
Lytechinus, Paracentrotus, Strongylocentrotus)

Holothuroidea sea cucumbers
(Cucumaria, Holothuria, Stichopus)

Stelleroidea

Asteroidea sea stars, starfish
(Acanthaster, Asterias, Pisaster)

Ophiuroidea brittle stars
(Amphiura, Ophiura)

Platyhelminthes flat worms, acoelomate
animals of uncertain origin [links]

Cestoda tapeworms (Diphyllobothrium,
Echinococcus, Hymenolepis, Taenia)

Trematoda parasitic flukes
(Cercaria, Diplostomum, Fasciola, Gyrodactylus, Schistosoma)

Turbellaria turbellarians,
free living flatworms (Dugesia, Temnocephala)

Nematoda nematodes, roundworms, threadworms(some),
whipworms, lungworms, hookworms, eelworms; a pseudocoelomate phylum with both
parasitic and free-living representatives, exist in very large numbers (Ascaris,
Caenorhabditis C. elegans, Haemonchus, Heterorhabditis, Meloidogyne, Onchocerca,
Toxocara) [links]

Acanthocephala acanthocephalans,
spiny headed worms; a parasitic pseudocoelomate phylum with spiny protrusible
proboscis (Acanthocephalus, Corynosoma, Moniliformis) [links]

Mesozoa mesozoans, small worm like
organisms at one time though to be degenerate flatworms (Rhopalura)
[links]

Nematomorpha nematomorphans, horsehair
worms, threadworms (some), gordian worms; a pseudocoelomate phylum (Gordius)
[links]

Nemertinea (=Rhynchocoela, Nemertea)
nemertines, proboscis worms, rhynchocoels, ribbon worms, acoelomate worms
with extensible proboscis (Cerebratulus, Lineus) [links]

Annelida annelids, segmented coelomate
worms with chitinous bristles [links]

Hirudinea leeches (Helobdella,
Hirudo, Notostomum) [links]

Oligochaeta earthworms, terrestrial
bristle worms (Dendrobaena, Eisenia, Lumbricus, Tubifex) [links]

Polychaeta lugworms, paddleworms,
polychaetes, ragworms, sandworms, include parasitic Myzostomida but
otherwise mostly marine (Arenicola, Cirratulus, Glycera, Lanice,
Nereis, Polydora, Serpula) [links]

Rotifera (=Rotatoria) rotifers,'wheel
animals' named for rotating ring of cilia; a pseudocoelomate phylum (Asplanchna,
Brachionus, Lecane) [links]

Cephalorhyncha cephalorhynchans

Chaetognatha chaetognaths, arrow
worms, small marine arrow shaped organisms with moveable hooks (Sagitta)
[links]

Cycliophora a new phylum only discovered
in 1995 with a single species (Symbion pandora) [links]

Echiura echiurans, spoon worms, marine
worms with extensible proboscis which live in u-shaped tubes (Echiurus,
Urechis) [links]

Gastrotricha gastrotrichs, free-living
wormlike organisms with lobed heads; a pseudocoelomate phylum (Chaetonotus,
Macrodasys, Xenotrichula) [links]

Gnathostomulida gnathostomulids,
jaw worms; a pseudocoelomate phylum (Gnathostomula) [links]

Kinorhyncha kinorhynchs, free-living
marine, with spiny heads used in characteristic locomotion after which they
are named; a pseudocoelomate phylum (Echinoderes) [links]

Lobopodia

Loricifera loricifers; a pseudocoelomate
phylum first described in 1983 with spiny heads and abdominal plates called
lorica (Nanaloricus)
[links]

Placozoa a parazoan group represented
by the single species (Trichoplax adhaerens) [links]

Pogonophora pogonophorans, beard
worms, deep-sea sessile worms of uncertain lineage which produce upright tubes
to live in (Siboglinum)
[links]

Priapulida (=Priapula) priapulids;
a pseudocoelomate protostomate phylum, short fat marine worms about which
relatively little is known (Priapulus) [links]

Sipuncula sipunculids, peanut worms,
unsegmented protostomate marine worms characterized by the introvert, a contractile
organ used in locomotion (Golfingia, Phascolion, Sipunculus) [links]

Vestimentifera vestimentifers, phylum
first described in 1985 for genera formerly considered to be pogonophorans
(Escarpia, Lamellibrachia, Ridgeia)

Conodonta conodonts, group of conoidal
shaped fossils (Polygnathus) [links]

Brachiopoda brachiopods, lamp shells;
a marine lophophorate phylum of shelled animals with an extensive fossil record;
Lingula is possibly the oldest genus with known living representatives
[links]

Bryozoa (=Ectoprocta, Polyzoa) bryozoans,
ectoprocts, polyzoans, 'moss' animals; a lophophorate & coelomate phylum
of aquatic & mostly colonial animals; (some classifications group Ectoprocta
together with Entoprocta as Bryozoa) (Bugula, Membranipora, Plumatella)
[links]

Entoprocta (=Kamptozoa) entoprocts,
kamptozoans; a marine pseudocoelomate phylum, mostly sessile filter feeders
(Loxosoma) [links]

Mollusca molluscs, mollusks, soft
bodied animals mostly with an internal or external calcareous shell [links]

Aplacophora solenogasters,
deep-sea worm like animals [links]

Polyplacophora modern chitons
(Chiton, Tonicella) [links]

Monoplacophora mostly fossil,
living species not discovered until 1977 (Neopilina) [links]

Gastropoda slugs, snails &
their relatives [links]

Prosobranchia snails (Buccinum,
Calliostoma, Cerithium, Conus, Cypraea, Haliotis, Littorina, Murex,
Oliva, Patella, Strombus, Thais)

Heterobranchia (Architectonica,
Nerinea, Pyramidella, Turbonilla)

Opisthobranchia slugs

Anaspidea (=Aplysiomorpha)
(Aplysia — sea hares)

Cephalaspidea
(Acteon)

Gymnosomata
(Clione)

Notaspidea (Pleurobranchaea)

Nudibranchia (Acanthodoris)

Pulmonata

Archaeopulmonata (Melampus)

Basommatophora (Biomphalaria,
Bulinus, Lymnaea)

Stylommatophora land
snails (Achatina, Arion, Helix, Liguus, Limax, Partula, Polymita,
Succinea)

Cephalopoda cephalopods [links]

Nautiloidea once abundant,
Nautilus is now the only genus with living representatives

Ammonoidea ammonites &
their relatives, only known from fossils (Ammonites)

Coleoidea group containing
all living cephalopods other than Nautilus

Belemnitida belemnites,
fossils (Belemnites, Gonioteuthis)

Octopoda octopods,
octopuses, devilfishes (Argonauta, Eledone, Octopus)

Sepiida cuttlefish;
often grouped with squid as Decapoda (Euprymna, Sepia, Spirula)

Teuthida squid; often
grouped with cuttlefish as Decapoda (Illex, Loligo, Sepioteuthis,
Todarodes)

Vampyromorpha vampire
squid

Bivalvia bivalves, pelecypods,
lamellibranchs, includes clams, mussels, oysters etc with laterally
hinged bivalve shells (Arca, Cardium, Crassostrea, Dreissena D. polymorpha
— zebra mussel, Macoma, Mactra, Modiolus, Mya, Mytilus, Pecten,
Unio, Venus) [links]

Scaphopoda razor shells, tusk
shells, tooth shells (Dentalium) [links]

Arthropoda arthropods, 'jointed legged
animals' characterized by segmented bodies and jointed appendages; have gills
or tracheae; easily the largest phylum of all animals & of great economic
importance, possibly a polyphyletic group [links]

Crustacea crustaceans, mainly
aquatic animals with gills and a dorsal carapace or shell, includes crabs,
lobsters, shrimps etc [links]

Branchiopoda branchiopods
[links]

Anostraca fairy shrimps
(Artemia) [links]

Cladocera water fleas
(Bosmina, Daphnia) [links]

Conchostraca clam shrimps
(Leptestheria) [links]

Notostraca tadpole
shrimps (Lepidurus, Triops) [links]

Branchiura fish lice; incl
in Maxillopoda of some authors (Argulus, Chonopeltis) [links]

Cephalocarida [links]

Cirripedia barnacles; incl
in Maxillopoda of some authors (Balanus, Lepas) [links]

Copepoda copepods; incl in
Maxillopoda of some authors (Acartia, Calanus, Caligus, Cyclops, Diaptomus,
Ergasilus, Harpacticus) [links]

Malacostraca large group
with heavily calcified external skeleton, two pairs of well-developed
antennae, 8 segments in thorax each with a pair of appendages, 6-7
segments in abdomen; many well known representatives, including: [links]

Decapoda [links]

Natantia prawns,
shrimps (Alpheus, Crangon, Hippolyte, Macrobrachium,
Pandalus, Penaeus) [links]

Reptantia [links]

Anomura hermit
crabs (Callianassa, Pagurus, Upogebia) [links]

Astacura crayfish,
true lobsters (Astacus, Cambarus, Homarus, Nephrops,
Orconectes, Procambarus) [links]

Brachyura true
crabs (Callinectes C.sapidus — blue crab, Cancer,
Maja, Ocypode, Scylla, Uca) [links]

Palinura slipper
lobsters, spiny lobsters (Jasus, Palinurus, Panulirus)
[links]

Euphausiacea krill
(Meganyctiphanes, Thysanoessa) [links]

Stomatopoda mantis
shrimps (Squilla) [links]

Amphipoda amphipods
(Corophium, Gammarus, Talorchestia) [links]

Cumacea cumaceans [links]

Isopoda isopods, pill
bugs, woodlice (Armadillidium, Idotea, Ligia, Limnoria, Oniscus,
Porcellio) [links]

Mysidacea mysids (Mysis,
Neomysis) [links]

Ostracoda ostracods; incl
in Maxillopoda of some authors (Candona, Limnocythere) [links]

Trilobitomorpha trilobites, known
only from fossils (Calymene, Phacops) [links]

Chelicerata

Arachnida arachnids, spiders
& their allies [links]

Acari mites, ticks
(Amblyomma, Boophilus, Dermacentor, Eriophyes, Haemaphysalis,
Ixodes, Oribates, Psoroptes, Sarcoptes, Tetranychus, Varroa)
[links]

Araneae true spiders
(Araneus, Erigone, Gnaphosa, Pardosa, Tarentula) [links]

Opiliones (=Phalangiida)
harvesters [links]

Pseudoscorpionida (=Pseudoscorpiones)
false scorpions, pseudoscorpions (Roncus) [links]

Scorpiones true scorpions
(Buthus, Centruroides, Tityus) [links]

Solpugida (=Solifugae)
sun spiders (Solpuga) [links]

Merostomata merostomatans,
horseshoe crabs [links]

Xiphosura king crabs
(Limulus)

Pycnogonida (=Pantopoda)
pycnogonids, pantopods, sea spiders (Pycnogonum) [links]

Smaller arthropod and allied groups
[links]

Arthropleurida arthropleuridans,
fossil group (Arthropleura)

Onychophora onychophorans,
velvet worms, small wormlike creatures from humid environments which
crawl like caterpillars, show characteristcs of both the annelid and
arthropod phyla (Peripatus) [links]

Pentastomida pentastomids,
tongue worms, parasitic group of uncertain affinities (Linguatula)
[links]

Tardigrada tardigrades, waterbears,
very small animals with a thick nonchitinous cuticle and 4 pairs of
unjointed legs (Echiniscus, Macrobiotus) [links]

Myriapoda myriapods
(sometimes grouped with Insecta in the arthropod subphylum Uniramia) [links]

Chilopoda centipedes (Lithobius,
Scolopendra)

Diplopoda millipedes (Glomeris,
Polydesmus)

Pauropoda pauropods (Allopauropus)

Symphyla (=Symphylida)

Hexapoda insects and some closely
related more ancient groups, all with six walking legs

Entognatha

Collembola springtails,
very abundant & widely distributed (Isotoma, Onychiurus)
[links]

Protura very small
& eyeless with enlarged forelegs (Eosentomon) [links]

Diplura two pronged
bristletails (position unclear but traditionally included in
Entognatha along with Collembola and Protura) (Campodea)
[links]

Insecta insects [links]

Anoplura sucking lice,
true lice (Pediculus, Solenopotes) [links]

Coleoptera beetles
(includes Buprestoidea Caraboidea Lampyris noctiluca
— glow worm Leptinotarsa decemlineata — Colorado
Beetle Strepsiptera) [links]

Dermaptera earwigs
(Forficula, Labidura) [links]

Dictyoptera [links]

Blattodea (=Blattaria)
cockroaches (Blaberus, Blattella, Periplaneta americana
— American cockroach)

Mantodea (=Manteodea)
mantids (Mantis, Tenodera)

Diptera true flies
(Aedes aegypti — malaria mosquito Chironomidae,
Drosophila — fruit flies Tachinidae) [links]

Ephemeroptera mayflies,
shadflies (Baetis, Ephemera, Hexagenia, Rhithrogena)
[links]

Hemiptera [links]

Heteroptera true
bugs

Homoptera

Aphidoidea
aphids, plant lice

Cicadoidea
cicadas

Coccoidea mealy
bugs, scale insects

Psylloidea
jumping plant lice

Hymenoptera includes
social wasps and ants [links]

Symphyta sawflies

Apocrita

Evanioidea

Ichneumonoidea

Pelecinoidea
(Pelecinus)

Chalcidoidea
chalcid wasps

Proctotrupoidea

Formicoidea
ants

Vespoidea
true wasps

Sphecoidea

Apoidea bees
(Apis mellifera — honeybee)

Isoptera termites,
white ants (Coptotermes, Nasutitermes, Reticulitermes)
[links]

Lepidoptera butterflies
& moths [links]

Bombycoidea (Bombyx
mori — silk moth)

Cossoidea

Gelechioidea

Geometroidea

Noctuoidea noctuid
moths (Lymantria dispar — gypsy moth)

Papilionoidea
butterflies (Vanessa)

Pyraloidea

Sphingoidea

Tineoidea

Tortricoidea

Yponomeutoidea

Zygaenoidea

Mallophaga bird lice,
biting lice (Menopon) [links]

Mantophasmatodea [links]

Mecoptera scorpionflies
(Boreus, Panorpa) [links]

Megaloptera alder flies,
dobson flies, fish flies (Chauliodes, Sialis) [links]

Neuroptera (=Planipennia)
dobsonflies, doodlebugs, lacewings (Ankylopteryx, Chrysopa,
Chrysoperla, Myrmeleontidae — antlions) [links]

Odonata damselflies,
dragonflies (Aeschna, Argia, Calopteryx, Ischnura, Libellula,
Orthetrum, Sympetrum) [links]

Orthoptera [links]

Phasmida (=Phasmatodea)
leaf insects, stick insects (Carausius, Cuniculina)

Saltatoria crickets,
grasshoppers, groundhoppers, katydids, locusts (Acheta,
Acrida, Chorthippus, Gryllus, Locusta migratoria —
migratory locust, Melanoplus, Oxya, Schistocerca gragaria
— desert locust, Tettigonia)

Plecoptera (=Perlaria)
stone flies (Isoperla, Leuctra, Nemoura) [links]

Psocoptera bark lice,
book lice (Caecilius, Loensia, Psocus) [links]

Siphonaptera fleas
(Ceratophyllus, Ctenocephalides, Xenopsylla) [links]

Strepsiptera twisted
wing insects [links]

Thysanoptera thrips
(Aelothrips, Frankliniella, Haplothrips, Thrips) [links]

Thysanura bristletails,
silverfish (Lepisma) [links]

Trichoptera caddis
flies (Hydropsyche, Hydroptila, Limnephilus, Rhyacophila)
[links]

Hemichordata hemichordates, marine
wormlike animals which live in u-shaped burrows in sand or mud, do have some
chordate characteristics but not a notochord as once erroneously thought [links]

Enteropneusta acorn worms,
tongue worms, solitary (Balanoglossus Saccoglossus)

Planctosphaeroidea only known
from pelagic larval forms

Pterobranchia pterobranchs,
mostly colonial (Cephalodiscus Rhabdopleura)

Graptolithina graptolites,
a group of marine colonial animals that lived from the Cambrian to the
mid-Carboniferous, most of them floated freely about in the ocean, but
some lived attached to the bottom, most fossil graptolites look like
nothing so much as tiny sawblades and they have a checkered history
of classification — their affinities being very difficult make
out (Mediograptus)

Phoronida phoronids, lophophorate
marine worm like animals of uncertain affinities (Phoronis)
[links]

Chordata chordates, characterized
by having a single dorsal nerve chord, a notochord and pharyngeal gill slits
at some stage of their life cycle [links]

Calcichordata calcichordates,
fossil group of uncertain lineage

Urochordata (=Tunicata) urochordates,
tunicates, mostly sessile marine organisms [links]

Ascidiacea sea squirts (Botryllus
Ciona)

Larvacea (=Appendicularia)
appendicularians (Oikopleura)

Thaliacea chain tunicates,
salps (Salpa)

Cephalochordata (=Acrania) cephalochordates,
acraniates, lancelets, amphioxus, small scaleless fish like animals (Branchiostoma)
[links]

Craniata craniates, have skulls
(often subdivided into two groups — the Agnatha lacking jaws &
the Gnathostomata with jaws)

Myxini hagfishes, jawless
eel shaped marine fish (Eptatretus Myxine)

Vertebrata vertebrates,
have backbones, group includes lampreys and all jawed vertebrates:
[links]

'Fish like' groups
[links]:-

Pituriaspida jawless armoured
vertebrates known only from Devonian of Australia (Pituriaspis
Neeyambaspis)

Pteraspidomorphi (=Diplorhina)
pteraspidomorphs, Ordovician/Devonian jawless vertebrates

Cephalaspidomorphi (=Monorhina)

Anaspidiformes anaspids,
Silurian fossils

Cephalaspidiformes (=Osteostraci)
cephalaspids, osteostracans, armoured fossils

Petromyzontiformes
(=Hyperoartii) lampreys (Lampetra Petromyzon)

Placodermi placoderms, jointed
neck fish, armoured fossils

Chondrichthyes cartilaginous
fish — dogfish (Scyliorhinus canicula — dogfish,
Squalus acanthias — spiny dogfish, spurdog), rays (Torpedo
— electric rays), sharks (Carcharodon carcharias —
white shark) etc

Actinopterygii (=Osteichthyes)
ray-finned fish; includes most living 'bony' fish (teleosts) (Anguilla
— eels, Carassius auratus — goldfish, Ctenopharyngodon
idella — grass carp, Cyprinus carpio — carp,
Gadus morhua — carp, Oncorhynchus — salmon,
Salmo — salmon and trout

Sarcopterygii lobe-finned
fish — coelacanths (Latimeria), lung fish etc; now considered
to also include all tetrapod groups more traditionally considered
separately (see below)

'Tetrapod' groups
'with four limbs'; these may also be categorized as Amniota (mammals,
reptiles, dinosaurs and birds), with all living and fossil amphibians
placed in various non-amniote groups; Amphibia and Reptilia together
are sometimes referred to as 'herptiles'

Amphibia amphibians spend
part of their life in water, breathe through skin & gills, lay
eggs in water and lack scales, cold blooded [links]

Labyrinthodontia fossils

Lepospondyli fossils

Lissamphibia includes
all living amphibians

Anura (=Salienta)
frogs (Rana), toads (Bufo bufo — common
toad, Bufo marinus — marine toad, cane toad, Dominican
toad, Xenopus laevis — clawed toad) [links]

Caudata (=Urodela)
salamanders, newts (Notophthalmus viridescens, Pleurodeles
waltlii, Triturus cristatus — crested newt,
Triturus vulgaris — common newt), mudpuppy (Necturus
maculosus) [links]

Gymnophiona (=Apoda)
caecilians [links]

Reptilia reptiles
[links]
have scales and an amniote egg adapted to survival out of water, cold
blooded and mostly well adapted to life on land; contains many fossil
groups including the dinosaurs;
modern taxonomy often places the lizards, crocodiles, birds, Sphenodon,
and their extinct relatives into one amniote group — the Diapsida;
some reptilian groups with living representatives are:

Testudines tortoises,
turtles [links]

Cryptodira modern
turtles

Squamata

Sauria crocodiles
[links]
lizards [links]

Amphisbaenia worm
lizards [links]

Serpentes snakes
[links]

Aves birds have feathers,
no teeth, modified forelimbs (wings), can regulate their body temperature
and have land adapted eggs with shells (current theories place birds
in a separate group — the Archosauria along with dinosaurs, crocodiles
& their relatives); there are many orders of birds, some of the
better known ones with living representatives include: [links]

Anseriformes ducks
(Anas platyrhynchos — domestic duck), geese (Anser
anser — domestic goose), swans [links]

Apodiformes hummingbirds
(Trochilidae), swifts (Apodidae) [links]

Apterygiformes kiwis
(Apteryx australis — brown kiwi, Apteryx owenii
— little spotted kiwi) [links
]

Caprimulgiformes goatsuckers
(Caprimulgidae, Chordeiles minor — common nighthawk)
[links
]

Casuariiformes cassowaries,
emus [links]

Charadriiformes shore
birds, auks (Alcidae), gulls and terns (Laridae), plovers (Charadriidae),
sandpipers (Scolopacidae) [links]

Ciconiiformes herons
and bitterns (Ardeidae), ibises (Threskiornithidae), storks
(Ciconiidae) [links]

Columbiformes pigeons
and doves (Columbidae, Columba livia — rock dove)
[links]

Cuculiformes cuckoos
(Cuculidae) [links]

Falconiformes falcons
(Falconidae, Falco peregrinus — peregrine falcon),
hawks and old world vultures (Accipitridae, Aquila chrysaetos
— golden eagle), ospreys (Pandionidae, Pandion haliaetus
— osprey), new world vultures (Cathartidae) [links]

Galliformes domestic
fowl (Coturnix japonica — quail, Gallus gallus
— domestic chicken, red junglefowl, Meleagris gallopavo
— turkey), game birds (Phasianus colchicus —
ring necked pheasant) [links]

Gaviiformes divers
and loons (Gaviidae) [links]

Gruiformes cranes (Gruidae),
rails (coots, moorhens, gallinules — Rallidae) [links]

Passeriformes passerines,
perching birds, song birds [links]

Phoenocopteriformes
flamingos (Phoenicopterus)

Pelecaniformes cormorants
(Phalacrocoracidae), frigatebirds (Fregatidae), gannets and
boobies (Sulidae), pelicans (Pelecanidae, Pelecanus onocrotalus
— great white pelican) [links]

Piciformes woodpeckers
(Picidae), toucans (Ramphastidae) [links]

Podicipediformes grebes
(Podicipedidae) [links]

Procellariiformes albatrosses
(Diomedeidae), fulmars, shearwaters and petrels (Procellariidae)
[links]

Psittaciformes parrots
(Melopsittacus undulatus — budgerigar) [links]

Rheiformes rheas (Rheidae)
[links]

Sphenisciformes penguins
(Spheniscidae, Aptenodytes forsteri — emperor penguin,
Pygoscelis adeliae Adelie penguin) [links]

Strigiformes barn owls
(Tytonidae, Tyto alba — barn owl), owls (Strigidae,
Asio otus — long-eared owl, Nyctea scandiaca
— snowy owl) [links]

Struthioniformes cassowaries
(Casuariidae), emus (Dromaiidae, Dromaius novaehollandiae
(larger emu), ostriches (Struthionidae, Struthio camelus
— ostrich) [links]

Mammalia mammals can regulate
their body temperatures, generally have hair, bear live young &
nourish them with milk produced by mammary glands, the majority are
placental [links];
in addition to numerous groups known only from fossils the mammalian
orders are:

Artiodactyla even toed
hoofed mammals — camels (Camelus — bactrian
camel, dromedary), cattle (Bos indicus — zebu cattle,
Bos taurus — domestic cattle of Europe, former USSR
and USA, Bubalus bubalis — Asian water buffalo),
deer, giraffes, goats (Capra hircus — domestic goat),
hippos, llamas, pigs (Sus scrofa — domestic pig),
sheep (Ovies aries — domestic sheep) [links]

Carnivora carnivores
— badgers, bears, cats (Felis catus — domestic
cat), dogs (Canis familiaris — domestic dog), ferrets
(Mustela furo — domestic ferret), otters, seals,
weasels, wolves [links]

Cetacea dolphins (Delphinus
delphis — common dolphin, Tursiops truncatus
— bottlenose dolphin), whales (blue whale — Balaenoptera
musculus, humpback whale — Megaptera, killer
whale — Orcinus orca, minke whale — Balaenoptera
acutorostrata) [links]

Chiroptera bats (big
brown bat — Eptesicus fuscus, hoary bat — Lasiurus
cinereus), flying foxes (Pteropus) [links]

Dermoptera flying lemurs
(Cynocephalus) [links]

Desmostylia extinct
mammal group [links]

Edentata edentates
— anteaters (giant anteater — Myrmecophaga tridactyla,
pygmy anteater — Cyclopes didactylus), armadillos
(giant armadillo — Priodontes maximus, nine-banded
armadillo — Dasypus novemcinctus), sloths (three-toed
sloths — Bradypus, two-toed sloths — Choloepus)
[links]

Embrithopoda [links]

Hyracoidea hyraxes
(common rock hyrax — Procavia capensis) [links]

Insectivora insectivores
— hedgehogs (west European hedgehog — Erinaceus
europaeus), moles (European mole — Talpa europaea),
shrews (comon shrew — Sorex araneus, pygmy shrew
— Sorex hoyi) [links]

Lagomorpha lagomorphs
— hares (common hares, jackrabbits — Lepus),
pikas (Ochotona), rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus
— common European rabbit, Sylvilagus — cottontail
rabbits) [links]

Marsupialia marsupials
— kangaroos and wallabies (Macropodidae, eastern grey kangaroo
— Macropus giganteus, red or plains kangaroo —
Macropus rufus), koalas (Phascolarctos cinereus),
wombats (Vombatus) [links]

Monotremata egg laying
mammals, monotremes — platypus (duck-billed platypus —
Ornithorhynchus anatinus), echidnas or spiny anteaters
(Tachyglossus, Zaglossus) [links]

Perissodactyla odd
toed hoofed mammals — horses (Equus asinus —
ass, donkey, Equus caballus — true horse), rhinoceroses
(black rhino — Diceros bicornis, white rhino —
Ceratotherium simum), tapirs (Tapirus), zebras
(mountain or Hartmann's zebra — Equus zebra) [links]

Pholidota pangolins
(Manis) [links]

Primates lemurs (Lemuridae,
ring tail lemurs — Lemur, brown lemurs — Eulemur),
marmosets (Callithrix jacchus — common marmoset),
monkeys (Macaca — macaques, Pan troglodytes
— chimpanzee, Papio — baboons, Saimiri sciureus
— squirrel monkey), tamarins (Saguinus), vervets
& man (Homo sapiens — modern man) [links]

Proboscidea elephants
(african elephant — Loxodonta africana, Asian elephant
— Elephas maximus), mammoths [links]

Rodentia rodents —
cavies (Cavia porcellus — guinea pig), chinchillas
(Chinchilla), gerbils (Meriones unguiculatus —
Mongolian gerbil), hamsters (Cricetus cricetus —
common hamster, Cricetulus griseus — Chinese hamster,
Mesocricetus auratus — golden hamster), mice (Mus
musculus — house mouse), porcupines, rats (Rattus
norvegicus — Norway rat, Rattus rattus —
black rat) [links]

Sirenia dugongs (Dugong
dugon), manatees (Trichechus) [links]

Tubulidentata aadvarks
(Orycteropus afer) [links]