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Animal Morphology (GeoZoo Topics)

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Animal Morphology
Form > Symmetry > Shape vs Structure > Size Anatomy Appearance > Color > Hair, Feathers & Scales > Ornaments Introductory Series 1. Animals 101 2. Classification 3. Animal Homes 4. Morphology 5. Physiology 6. Movement 7. Nutrition 8. Behavior 9. Reproduction 10. Ecology 11. Evolution 12. Animals & People Switch to... LIFE Animals | VERTS | Mammals | Humans | Birds | Reptiles | Amphibians | Fish INVERTS | Arthropods | Insects | Mollusks Plants | Flowering Plants | Conifers Related Sites GeoZoo (Facebook) GeoWorld GeoSymbols Politix Latest blog posts... GeoZoo: Okavango Tug of War GeoWorld: Redrawing Africas Borders GeoSymbols: A New National Anthem for Scotland? Politix: Politix 101

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ne of the first questions people ask about animals, even if just mentally, is what they look like. In other words, they focus on appearance. But more detailed scientific descriptions of animals go a litle further, exploring their internal structure as well, a discipline called anatomy.

The term morphology means form. Its roughly synonymous with anatomy, but its a little less clinical, nicely embracing both anatomy and external appearance. Before we continue, lets note the vast differences between two broad groups of animals - vertebrates and invertebrates. Comparing an invertebrate like an earthworm or giant squid to a songbird or giant panda is not like comparing apples and oranges. Their form and internal anatomy is vastly different, and no invertebrate has feathers. The two groups are so different, many portions of this article are divided into separate sections for each group of animals.
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Animal Morphology (GeoZoo Topics)

Form
Before you continue, you might want to learn about symmetry, which might be thought of as the foundation of animal morphology. However, that article focuses largely on invertebrates, while this article focuses a little more on vertebrates. So lets begin with a brief overview of symmetry... Its normal to think of animals having heads, rumps, backs, bellies and left and right sides. But many invertebrates have none of these. Sponges are off the map; they arent even symmetrical. But many marine invertebrates (and some others) display some type of radial symmetry. In other words, theyre round, similar to a pizza. Theres only one way to cut a human or a lizard in half, but you can cut a pizze in half many different ways, and no one will know the difference. An anemone, with its tentacles arranged around its mouth like some animated flower, is an example of radial symmetry. It might be said to have a top and bottom, but it doesnt have a head or posterior. Nor does it have a left or right side. More advanced invertebrates - and all vertebrates - are endowed with bilateral (two-sided) symmetry. They have left and right sides. Most also have an anterior end (where the head is located) and a posterior end, where the anus is normally located. They also have a dorsal surface (the back) and ventral surface (commonly referred to as the abdomen or belly). ***** Most of us dont even think about symmetry, since virtually every animal we see (including our reflection in the mirror) is bilaterally symmetrical. So what do we focus on when describing animals? The major elements of appeaerance include shape, size, body segments, appendages, outer covering, color and ornaments. Below are some notes on each.

Symmetry
x

Shape vs Structure
Animals come in all shapes and sizes. They can be long and skinny (e.g. snakes, eels and worms) or fat or stocky, like owls, bears or porcupines.

Size
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Animal Morphology (GeoZoo Topics)

Anatomy
x Vertebrates X Invertebrates X Huh? Huh?

Body Segments
x

Appendages
Appendages might be loosely defined as any conspicuous organs attached to an animals head or body. Vertebrate appendages consist of limbs (legs, flippers or wings) and tails. Invertebrate appendages include legs, tentacles, cilia and antennae. Many mammals, reptiles and amphibians have four legs, but no vertebrate has more. Most marine mammals have a single pair of flippers and a paddle- or fish-like tail used for propulsion. Some reptiles and amphibians are limbless. All birds have two wings and two legs. (elephant birds?) x

Outer Covering
Most mammals are covered with hair, all birds with feathers and most fishes with scales. Animals with bare skin include humans, cetaceans, sirenians, nake mole rats, some reptiles(?), amphibians and some fishes (examples). Some animals are covered with hard shells. Terrestrial vertebrates with shells include armadillos and turtles. Pangolins are covered with heavy scales that form a protective armor. Many molluscs are protected by shells, notably most gastropods (snails) and bivalves (clams, oysters, etc.). Ditto for brachiopods. Many arthropods, particularly insects and crustaceans, have hard exoskeletons that are heavily armored in some species. In fact, molluscs and crustaceans are collectively called
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Animal Morphology (GeoZoo Topics)

shellfish. Some animals are covered with quills (porcupines) or spines (e.g. hedgehogs, horned lizards, pufferfish).

Appearance
x

Color
x Vertebrates X Invertebrates Huh? Huh?

Hair, Feathers & Scales

x

Ornaments
Animal ornaments might be loosely defined as organs, protrusions or tufts of hair or feathers that are used in communication or as secondary sex organs. Many mammals and birds have conspicuous tufts of hair or feathers or long, spectacular tails. Examples include the male lions mane, zebra manes, BIRD, and the long spectacular tails of peacocks and quetzals. We can also include horns and antlers, which function in display as well as defense. Many hoofed mammals carry a fantastic diversity of horns and antlers, including rhinoceroses, cattle, bison, buffalo, antelope, sheep, goats and deer. Fish ornaments... *****
Topic Tree: Morphology 1. Morphology 101 2. Animal Morphology Plant Morphology 3. Vertebrate Morphology | Invertebrates Series: 101 (12 articles)

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Animal Morphology (GeoZoo Topics)

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