�PAGE � �PAGE �1� Scientific Taxonomy
Scientific Taxonomy and Earth's Biodiversity
Jessica MacRoberts
Axia College of University of Phoenix
SCI 230
Introduction
Kingdom Animalia contains all animal species .This paper describes the biodiversity of mammals, insects, birds, and echinoderms. This includes the description of the following species in particular: elephants, armadillos, termites, butterflies, penguins, hummingbirds, starfishes, and sand dollars. While these species have different characteristics, the fact is that all of them are generally eukaryotic, multi-cellular, heterotrophic, lack cell walls, are motile, and usually pass through a blastula stage as animals.
Mammals
Elephants and armadillos are just two species out of the vast majority of existing mammals. These two share the same characteristics: warm-blooded, their young are born alive, and have lungs to breathing organ. Despite their similarities, the two have apparent differences. The body characteristics are the most evident. An elephant's physical characteristics consist of its enormous size; have tusks, and even a trunk (Myers, 2008).
Mike Vondran at Squaw Valley Ski Resort, February ...
Mike Vondran at Lake Tahoe, Tahoe Vista, February ...An armadillo however, is of moderate size, has hard armor-like skin, short legs, and have claws (Myers, 2008). In addition, an elephant's diet is usually plant flood, considering that it is an herbivore, while an armadillo uses its sharp claws to dig for grubs or insects (National Geographic Society, 2008).The elephant belongs to the Proboscidea, which only contains one family of living animals, the elephants - includes three species such as African Bush Elephant, Asian Elephant, and African Forest Elephant (McKenzie, P. (2001). The Proboscidea order classifies animals that feed by their trunks. The armadillo is the only family in the order Cingulata and in a super order Xenartha. Xenartha, also includes animals such as anteaters and sloths. The Cingulata order classifies animals with girdle like shells.
Insects
Insects include many species, in particular, the termite and butterfly. These two insects generally share...