KINGDOM ANIMALIA
ANIMAL STRUCTURE AND DIVERSITY
Student Learning Outcomes:
At the conclusion of this exercise you should:
(1) Be able to identify seven important anatomical characteristics which are used to classify
animals into different evolutionary groups.
(2) Be able to apply a taxonomic key to classify animals according to specific anatomical
characteristics.
(3) Be able to analyze selected animal specimens and place them into their proper taxonomic
groups.
(4) Be able explain “adaptive radiation” in vertebrate appendages and provide an example.
(5) Be able to categorize ten common San Diego County animals using an ecological
classification.
(6) Be able to understand the difference between using ecological criteria and evolutionary
(phylogenetic) criteria when classifying organisms.