Inhabitants of our Earth - Animal Phyla Kyoto University Shin Kubota D.Sc.

Abstract

This book is originally based on a series of illustrated articles by the author ,「Inhabitants of our Earth - Animal Phyla , that appeared every week on Tuesday between January and November in 2006 in the "Kii Minpo" newspaper, published in Tanabe city, Wakayama Prefecture, Japan. It introduces to the general reader the essential biology of 41 animal phyla, including the mysterious Monoblastozoa and ranging from unicellular protozoans through a great assortment of invertebrates finally to the vertebrates. Aspects of the morphology, ecology, food and feeding behavior, developmental biology, life history, biogeography, evolution, and other important biological features are described for each phylum, along with an estimate of the number of extant species. A special column on taxonomy is included, and also an Appendix summarizing many biological features of the phyla. The book is originally supplemented by a CD featuring an original song about all the phyla sung by the author, and also by an original DVD. In both the CD and DVD the author provides a simple narration to help familiarize the reader/viewer with all the animal phyla and their biological features, as well as beautiful color photos and other illustrations. (A song and narration is accessible in this site).

Inhabitants on our Earth - Animal phyla

Contents

*	Preface	LINK

Description of 41 animal phyla 1. Phylum (Commentary: Click on the photo)
1	Phylum Protozoa Ameba, Euglena - Mysterious single-cell fellows
2	Phylum Monoblastozoa Salinella - Miracle animal not in the textbook
3	Phylum Placozoa Trichoplax adhaerens - The most primitive multi-cellular animal alive today	LINK
4	Phylum Rhombozoa Dicyemida - Parasites who reproduce bizarre ways
5	Phylum Orthonectida Rhopalura - “Mesozoan” hidden in various kinds of animals	LINK
6	Phylum Porifera Sponge - Sponges can regenerate after grind them down
7	Phylum Cnidaria Jellyfish, corals, and sea anemones - Gastro-animals with venomous sting
8	Phylum Ctenophora Comb jelly - A kind of jellyfish that eats other jellyfish
9	Phylum Platyhelminthes Planaria - Ripping them apart into pieces and still alive	LINK
10	Phylum Gnathostomulida Jaw worms - Bilaterally-symmetric animals with strong jaws	LINK
11	Phylum Nemertea Ribbon worms - The first bilaterally-symmetric animals to have the anus	LINK
12	Phylum Kinorhyncha Mud dragons - Tiny animals with a segmented body
13	Phylum Loricifera Nanaloricus - Armored tiny deep-sea animals
14	Phylum Gastrotrichia Chaetonotida, Macrodasyoidea - Meiobenthos covered with scales and spines
15	Phylum Rotifera Wheel animals - Microscopic, female-dominant animals living in the aquatic world	LINK
16	Phylum Nematoda Round worms - Lab animals with their genome fully sequenced first among animals
17	Phylum Nematomorpha Horsehair worms - Absorb nutrients from the body surface
18	Phylum Acanthocephala Thorny headed worms - Living as parasites from cradle to grave	LINK
19	Phylum Priapulida Penis worms - The name says it all	LINK
20	Phylum Sipuncula Peanut worms - Anus not in their butt	LINK
21	Phylum Echiura Spoon worms - Earthworm-like animals with a characteristic proboscis	LINK
22	Phylum Annelida Lugworms, Earthworms, and leeches - Slender worms consisting of many segments	LINK
23	Phylum Mollusca squids, octopus, and shellfish - Shells evolved into many shapes and forms	LINK
24	Phylum Tardigrada Water bears - Outstanding endurance: live more than 100 years	LINK
25	Phylum Onychophora Velvet worms - Intermediate form between lugworms and crabs	LINK
26	Phylum Pentastoma Tongue worms - Terrestrial vertebrates are the final host	LINK
27	Phylum Chelicerata Spiders, mites, and scorpions - “Arthropods” with claw legs	LINK
28	Phylum Crustacea Shrimps and crabs - Various arthropods that molt their carapace	LINK
29	Phylum Hexapoda Insects - The most diverse group of animals on the Earth	LINK
30	Phylum Entoprocta Coloniales - Colonial life at the bottom of the sea
31	Phylum Cycliophora Symbion pandora - Rare species with nesting reproduction
32	Phylum Phoronida Phoronis - Adults looking like a feather duster worm
33	Phylum Ectoprocta Moss animals - Colonial animals looking like plants	LINK
34	Phylum Brachiopoda Lingulata and Lamp shells - Benthic animals having two shells like bivalves
35	Phylum Pogonophora Beard worms and giant tube worms - Getting nutrients from symbiotic microbes	LINK
36	Phylum Chaetognatha Arrow worms - Chasing the prey like an arrow	LINK
37	Phylum Echinodermata Sea urchins, sea stars and sea cucumbers - “Five” is the common number for these bottom dwelling animals	LINK
38	Phylum Hemichordata Acorn worms and Pterobranchia - Free swimming life and bottom attached life	LINK
39	Phylum Urochordata Sea Squirts and Larvaceans - Highly evolved invertebrates close to humans	LINK
40	Phylum Cephalochordata Lancelets - Highly evolved “Pseudo-fish” invertebrates	LINK
41	Phylum Vertebrata Fish, Humans and others - Animals with back bones	LINK

*	“Inhabitants on our Earth ? Animal phyla” CD and DVD Let’s familiarize yourself! “Inhabitants on our Earth ?	LINK
*	Animal phyla” narration, images and songs	LINK
*	Animal taxonomy	LINK
*	Key for 41 animal phyla	LINK
*	Extant 41 animal phyla on the Earth	LINK
*	Conceptual graph of animal phyla inter-relation	LINK
*	References	LINK
*	Author Profile	LINK
*	Postscript	LINK