SIMPLIFIED BIOLOGY NOTES FOR SENIOR HIGH SCHOOLS

SIMPLIFIED BIOLOGY NOTES

FOR
SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL

[Diversity Of Living Things]

SIMPLIFIED BIOLOGY NOTES FOR SENIOR HIGH SCHOOLS

KINGDOM PROKARYOTAE / MONERA:

General characteristics
1. Prokaryotic: single-celled with no nucleus
2. Lack of membrane bound organelles
3. Their cells are made up of cell wall consisting of fats and proteins with membrane
surrounding cytoplasm
4. Absence of nuclear membrane
5. Also known as bacteria
6. Autotrophs and heterotrophs
7. Some chemosynthetic. Bacteria roles on oceans: base of food chain, converters of
nitrogen gas into useful forms for organisms, decomposers.

KINGDOM PROTISTA:
General characteristics:
1. Eukaryotic: cells contain a nucleus
2. Heterotrophs and autotrophs
3. Mostly single called, but some autotrophs are colonial and/or multicellular. All
autotrophs
4. Use chlorophyll as their primary photosynthetic pigment.
5. Absence of tissues and organs
6. They posses membrane bound organelles

This kingdom has nine (9) phyla namely;

1. Phylum Rhizopoda (Rhizopods)
2. Phylum Zoomastigina (Flagellates)
3. Phylum Apicomplexa (Sporozoans)
4. Phylum Ciliophora (Ciliates)
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5. Phylum Euglenophyta (Euglenoid Flagellates)

6. Phylum Oomycota (Slime Moulds)
7. Phylum Chlorophyta (Green algae)
8. Phylum Rhodophyta (Red algae)
9. Phylum Phaeophyta (Brown algae)

Phylum Rhizopoda (Rhizopods)

1. Unicellular and microscopic
2. Few multicellular species
3. Their locomotion and feeding is by pseudopodia
4. Reproduction is by asexual or spores
5. Either parasitic or heterotrophic
Example: Amoeba

Phylum Zoomastigina (Flagellates)

1. They are unicellular flagellates
2. They posses one or more flagellate for locomotion
3. Members are mostly heterotrophic, a few are parasitic
4. Members can reproduce both sexual and asexual
Examples: Trypanosoma, Trichomonal

Phylum Apicomplexa (Sporozoans)

1. They are mostly unicellular
2. They are parasitic mostly endoparasite
3. Locomotion structures are lacking
4. Reproduction is by both sexual and asexual
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Phylum Ciliophora (Ciliates)

1. They posses cilia for locomotion
2. They have two nuclei; mega nucleus and micro nucleus
3. Members are heterotrophic
Examples: vorticella, paramecium

Phylum Euglenophyta (Euglenoid Flagellates)

1. Members are aquatic
2. They posses flagella for locomotion
3. Members posses chlorophyll hence they are photosynthetic
4. Few are not photosynthetic
Examples: Euglena, viridis

Phylum Oomycota (Slime Moulds)

1. They are found in damp areas
2. They are free cell/ multinucleate aggregate
3. Members posses non-septate hyphae (hyphae without cross walls)
4. Absence of cell wall
5. Reproduction is both sexual and asexual; during asexual reproduction motile
flagellated spores are produced
Examples: Phytophtora which causes rotting of cocoa pods and blight of potato

Phylum Chlorophyta (Green algae)

1. Mostly autotrophic with chlorophyll hence photosynthetic
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2. Members are both aquatic and terrestrial dwellers

3. Members are unicellular few are multicellular and filamentous
4. They lack roots, stems and leaves
5. Reproduction is by both sexual and asexual means
6. Posses ẞ-carotene and other carotenoid accessory pigments
Examples: Ulna, Volvox, Chlorella, Chlamydomonas, Spirogyra

Phylum Rhodophyta (Red algae)

1. Autotrophic; presence of chlorophyll mashes with red accessory pigments.
2. Aquatic mostly marine
3. Multicellular in nature
4. Red in colour due to the red pigments
Examples: Galaxaura sp, Glacillaria sp

Phylum Phaeophyta (Brown algae)

1. Aquatic dwellers
2. Multicellular in nature
3. They posses chlorophyll mashed with brown pigments
4. Reproduction is by sexual means
5. They posses holdfast for attachment
Examples: Fucus, Sargassum

KINDOM FUNGI:
Various phyla
1. Phylum Zygomycota
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2. Phylum Ascomycota
3. Phylum Basidiomycota
General characteristics
1. Eukaryotic
2. Multicellular, with a cell wall, organelles including a nucleus, but no chlorophyll and
heterotrophic
3. Chitin found in their cell wall
4. Most are decomposers that live embedded in their food source, secreting digestive
enzymes and absorbing products.
5. Absence of roots, stems and leaves
6. Reproduction is by spore formation
Examples: Mushrooms, molds, lichen, yeast, bracket fungus
Habitat: mostly land, freshwater
Phylum Zygomycota
1. Develop sexually and asexually
2. Multinucleate hyphae (non septate; no cross walls)
3. They are mostly saprophytic a few are parasitic
4. Lack septa, except for reproductive structures; fusion of hyphae leads directly to
formation of a zygote, in which meiosis occurs just before it germinates
Examples: Rhizopus (black bread mold), Mucor

Phylum Ascomycota
1. Develop by sexual means; Ascospores are formed inside a sac called an ascus; Asexual
reproduction is also common
2. Terrestrial dwellers
3. Unicellular often filamentous
4. Their body is made of septate hyphae (cross walls)
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Examples: Yeasts, truffles, morels

Phylum Basidiomycota
1. Develop by sexual means; basidiospores are borne on club-shaped structures called
basidia;
2. The terminal hyphae cell that produces spores is called a basidium
3. Asexual reproduction occurs occasionally
4. Terrestrial dwellers
5. Posses a septate hyphae
Examples: Mushrooms, toadstools, rusts

KINDOM PLANTAE
General characteristics
Phylum in this kingdom is called division
1. Division Bryophya
2. Division Lycodopophyta (lycads)
3. Division Filicinophyta
4. Division Coniferophyta
5. Division Cycadophyta (cycads)
6. Division Angiospermophyta
Division Bryopha
1. Members are restricted to damp areas
2. They lack waterproof testicles
3. They need water for fertilization
4. Absence of true roots, stems and leaves
5. Vascular bundles are absent
6. Members posses root-like, leave-like and stem-like structures
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7. Life cycle shows alternation of generation in which the gametophyte is the dominant
There are two classes
Class hepaticae (Liverworts)
1. The gametophyte is dichotomously branched
2. Rhizoids are unicellular

Class Mussi (mosses)

1. They posses upright gametophyte
2. The rhizoids are multicellular
Examples: funaria

Division Lycodopophyta (lycads)

1. Members are terrestrial dwellers
2. Posses vascular tissues
3. Posses true root
4. Sporophyte with prostrate branching is present
5. Four rolls of true leaves; two small and two large, small leaves bare sporangia
Examples: Selleginella

Division Filicinophyta (ferns)

1. Terrestrial dwellers
2. Posses vascular tissues
3. Sporophyte plants with underground rhizomes present
4. Posses leaves, stems and roots
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5. Leaves are called fronds

6. Matured leaves bare sori (sing. sorus)
7. Sporophyte generation is dominant
A garden fern plants
Examples: Dryoteris sp.
Division Coniferophyta (conifers)
1. Cone bearing plants
2. Leaves are needle-like or scale-like
3. Flowers and fruits are lacking
4. Seeds are uncovered (naked)
5. They are evergreen plants
6. Stems are highly branched
7. Members are the leading source of pulp for paper and pencil
Examples: cedar, pine, oak
Division Cycadophyta (cycads)
1. Members look like palm trees
2. Posses a cluster of long compound leaves at the tip of the stem
3. They have water transporting stems which are tracheid
4. their sieve cells carry organic materials
5. Their stems are tick, short and unbranched
6. Cones containing ovules are borne among the leaves
7. They have naked seeds which are not enclosed in a pericarp
8. Their flowers are usually unisexual and always without perianth
Examples: cycad
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Division Angiospermophyta
1. Members are known as flowering plants because they produce flowers
2. Sexual reproductive organs are found in the flowers
3. Double fertilization occurs in this division
4. Their seeds are enclosed in a pericarp
5. Their vascular tissues are made up of xylem and phloem
Class in this division
Class Monocotyledonae
Class Dicotyledonae
Class Monocotyledonae
1. They are mostly called monocots
2. They produce seeds with a single cotyledon or seed keeves
3. Their leaves are parallel veined
4. In their stems, vascular bundles are scattered
5. Floral parts are arranged in threes
6. Secondary growth occurs in a few species
7. They are mainly herbaceous
8. They posses fibrous root system

Class Dicotyledonae
1. They produce seeds with two cotyledon
2. Their leaves are net veined
3. In the stem vascular bundles are arranged in a ring between the cortex and the pith
4. Secondary ticking occurs in most members
5. They posses a tap root system
Examples: Flamboyant, sunflower, mango tree, cocoa tree, etc.
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Difference between angiosperms and gymnosperms

Gymnosperms Angiosperms
1. Seeds naked as not enclosed in Seeds enclosed in fruit (a mature
Ovary ovary)
2. Bears cones where spores Bears flowers where reproductive
(gametes) develops spores (gametes) develops
3. Xylem vessels usually absent Xylem has both vessels as well as
tracheids

KINDOM ANIMALIA
General characteristics
1. Animals are multicellular
2. Eukaryotes, cells lack cell walls
3. Heterotrophs
4. Diploid (except gametes)
5. (No cell wall, no alternation of generations, no gametophytes)
6. 2 groups: invertebrates and vertebrates
7. Most have complex structure (tissue, organ systems)
8. Reproduce by sexual reproduction
9. Symmetry (radial or bilateral)
10. Their life cycles includes stages of embryonic development
Various phyla
1. Phylum Cnidaria
2. Phylum Platyhelminthes (flatworms)
3. Phylum Nematoda/ Aschehelminthes (Round worms, thread worms)
4. Phylum Annelida (segmented worms)
5. Phylum Mollusca (Mollusks)
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6. Phylum Arthropoda (insects, spiders)

7. Phylum Echinodermata (sea star)
8. Phylum Chordata

Phylum Cnidaria (Incudes hydroids, jelly fishes, sea anemone, corals)

Main characters:
1. Both with no head and no segmentation
2. They are diploblastic; two layered body wall: external epidermis and inner
gastrodermis, jelly like non-cellular mesoglea in between.
3. Their body wall enclose a central water-filled cavity called the enteron which has only
one opening; the mouth
4. Cnidoblasts (stinging cells) present, helps to catch prey (carnivorous)
5. Skeleton calcareous, horny or none.
6. Asexual reproduction by building in the sessile (polyp) stage, and sexual reproduction
in free swimming (medusa) stage.
7. Radial symmetry
8. All marine, except hydra (found in fresh water)
Either fixed like hydra, sea-anemones and corals, or free floating like the jelly fish.

Three common Cnidarians (a) Hydra (b) Jelly fish (c) Sea Anemone
Phylum Platyhelminthes (Flat worms)
Main Characters:
1. Elongated, soft bodied, dorsoventrally flattened worms, without true segmentation
2. No body cavity
3. They are triploblastic; a mesoderm separates the inner endoderm from the outer
ectoderm
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4. Suckers or hooks or both for attachment to the body of the host

5. Sexes usually united, mostly sexual reproduction, with asexual reproduction in some.
6. Alimentary canal has only one opening; the mouth. In some forms (e.g. tapeworms)
there is no alimentary canal at all.
7. A few are free-living but mostly parasites
Examples: Planaria (free living), Fasciola (liver-fluke) is a parasite of sheep liver, Taenia
(tapeworm) is a parasite of human intestine.

It has three classes

Class turbellaria (turbrllarians)
Class Trematode (flukes)

Class Cestoda (tape worms)

Phylum Aschehelminthes /Nematoda (Round worms, thread woums)

Main characters

1. Elongated cylindrical round body

2. Their bodies are covered by cuticles

3. There is no cilia present

4. Body cavity is a pseudocoelom (false body cavity)

5. Alimentary canal opens at the two ends, mouth and anus.

6. Sexes separate, males are smaller than females.

7. Mostly parasitic in animals but some live freely in the soil.

8. Ascaris is a common round worm, parasitic in the intestine of humans.

Pin worms and wuchereria (Filaria worm) are some other examples.
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Phylum Annelida (Includes earthworms)

Main characters:

1. Elongated, segmented, coelomate (true body covity) worm-like animals

2. Body provide with setae or parapodia for locomotion.

3. Well developed digestive system with the alimentary canal open at both ends.

4. Excretory organs called nephridia.

5. Sexes united (as in earthworm) or separate (as in Neris).

6. They are triploblastic

7. Segments bear small bristle-like structures called chaetae.

8. Regeneration quite frequent.

9. Aquatic, some terrestrial animals, some living in tubes and some even parasitic.

Examples: Nereis, Earthworms like Pheretima (free living in soil), Hirudinaria (leech)
(parasitic on cattle).

This phylum contains three (3) classes

Class Polycharta

Class Oligochaeta

Class Hirundinae

Class Polychaeta
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1. The worms live on the sea shore, in the sand, in burrows, under stones or enclosed
tubes

2. They have a distinct head with appendages and eyes

3. They have numerous chaetae

4. The chartae projects lateral flaps called parapodia

5. They lack clitellum

Class Oligochaeta

1. They are terrestrial some aquatic

2. They have no distinct head

3. There are few chaetae, a pair on each segment

4. Absence of parapodia

5. Presence of clitellum for the secretion of mucus to stealth two worms during mating
in the region of the sex organs. Eggs are deposited also into the clitellum

Example: Tubiflex, Hyperiodrilus sp, Lumbricus terrestris

Class Hirundinae

1. They are free living mostly ectoparasite

2. They usually have two suckers one on each end of the body

3. They have no parapodia and chaetae

4. Absence of distinct head

Example:Hirudo (leeches)
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Phylum Mollusca (includes conch, snails etc.)

Mollusca

These animals have a soft, unsegmented body, with a hard , calcareous shell to protect
the soft body, with a hard, calcareous shell to protect the soft body. They have a
muscular foot to help locomotion and also to act as a weapon in some cases.

Examples: snails, slugs, oysters, mussels, clams, squids, and octopuses (Fig. 3.13)

Main characters:

1. Unsegmented soft bodied animals terrestrial or aquatic.

2. Exoskeleton in the form of a shell.

3. Coelomate

4. Body divided into three; head, foot and visceral lamps

5. When present shell is usually univalved or bivalved; internal shell in some.

6. Sexes separate or united.

Examples: Apply snail (Pila), Freshwater mussel (Unio), Cuttlefish (Sepia) slugs, Octopus.

This phylum has three classes

1. Class Gastropoda

2. Class Bivalvia

3. Class Cephalopoda

Class Gastropoda

1. Members bear a distinct head bearing prominent tentacles and eyes

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2. The visceral hump is mostly twisted

3. Members have flattened mascular foot for crawling

4. Presence of radula for feeding

5. There is one single shell which is coiled to accommodate the twisted body

Examples: Achatina, Helix (garden snail) Whelk, Limpets, Slugs.

Habitat: forest floors, forest litter, farms and gardens

Class Bivalvia

1. Shells of members develop as two valves held together by a hinge.

2. The head is reduced

3. There are no eyes and no tentacles

4. There is no radula

Examples: clamps, oysters, mussels

Habitat: rocky shores, lagoons, estuaries

Class Cephalopoda

1. Members have well developed head surrounding by a ring of tentacles

which bear suckers

2. Their eyes are similar to those of vertebrates

3. Their shells are internal (if present)

Examples: Octopus, Squid

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Phylum Arthropoda (includes crab, scorpion, insect, spiders etc)

Main characters:

1. Segmented body, can be differentiated into head, thorax and abdomen

2. Jointed appendages

3. Head and thorax often fused to form cephalothorax

4. Jointed legs for locomotion, one pair each on some or all body segments

5. Exoskeleton of chitinuous cuticle, shed at intervals (molting)

6. They are triploblastic and coelomate

7. They are bilaterally symmetrical

8. Sexes usually separate.

Class Crustacea

1. Body covered with dorsal covering called carapace

2. Cephalothorax with 5 pairs of legs or appendages

3. Eyes compound

4. Two pairs of antennae; the first is small pair is called antenelus

5. Members respire by gills

6. Members are mostly aquatic except louse who is terrestrial dweller

7. Sexes separate

Examples: Prawn, Crab, Crayfish, Lobster, wood louse

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Class Chilopoda

1. Members are all terrestrial dwellers

2. Posses a distinct head and an elongated trunk which is not divided into
thorax and abdomen

3. The body is doeso-ventally flattened

4. The head bears one pair of antennae and a pair of poisonous jaw

5. Each segment bears a pair of walking legs

6. Respiration is by means of trachea which opens to the exterior at the

spiracles

7. Members are carnivorous

Examples: Lithobius sp. (Centipede)

Class Diplopoda

1. All members are terrestrial

2. They posses a distinct head and enlongated body in which the thorax and
the abdomen are not distinguishable

3. Each segment bears two pairs of walking legs

4. The body is cylindrical

5. The head bears a pair of antennae

6. They are herbivorous

Examples: Julus sp. (Milleped)

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Habitat: farm, forest floor, garden

Class Arachnida

1. They are terrestrial dwellers

2. They posses two body divisions; cephalothorax and opisthosoma /

abdomen

3. Cephalothorax bears 4 pairs of walking legs

4. Members posses paired anterior chelicerae bearinf claws

5. They respire by lung-book and sometimes through trachea

6. They posses poisonous glands

7. Abdomen usually without legs

8. Eyes simple

9. Sexes separate

Examples: scorpion, spider, ticks

Class Insecta

1. Body divisible into head, thorax and abdomen

2. The thorax bears three segments; prothorax, mesothorax and metathorax

3. Each segment of the thorax bears a pair of walking legs hence there are 6
legs

4. Respiration is by trachea or tracheal tubes

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5. There are wings, they are attached to the mesothorax and metathorax

6. Their life cycle shows either complete or incomplete metamorphosis

7. Eyes compound

8. Sexes separate

Examples: cockroach, ant, aphids, bees, house flies, butterflies, mosquitoes,

moths etc.

1. Order coleoptera

2. Order Diptera

3. Order Hermiptera

4. Order Orthoptera

5. Order Lepidoptera

6. Order Hymenoptera

7. Order Isoptera

8. Order Odanata

Order Coleoptera

1. The members in this order are mostly beetles

2. Their fore wings are modified as hard wings cases called elytra (electron)
which covers and protect the membranous hind wings. The elytra project
sideways during flight.

3. Members undergo complete metamorphosis

Example: Rhinocerous
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Order Diptera

1. They have a pair of membranous wings for flying

2. Their hind wings are reduced to form halters which act as stabilizers during
flight

3. Their mouth parts are modified for sucking, sometimes for piercing and
biting

4. They undergo complete metamorphosis

5. They are mostly vectors of disease

Example: mosquito, housefly, tsetse fly

Order Hermiptera

1. Members have mouth parts modified for piercing and sucking

2. Membranous hind wings

3. Fore wings divided into two portions (proximal/ basal hardened parts and
distal/ apical membranous parts)

Example: Aphids, Cotton strainer, water boatman, bed bugs

Order Orthoptera

1. Biting mouthparts

2. They posses leathery forewings that protect the membranous hind wings.
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3. Their third leg is modified for jumping

4. In some members, the third pair of legs pair ridged stridulating organs
which are rubbed to produce a chirping sound

5. They undergo incomplete metamorphosis

Examples: locust, crickets, grasshopper

Order Lepidoptera

1. The wings and body of the members are covered with powdery scales.

2. They have two pairs of wings which are very large; the wings interlock by
means of a hook.

3. Their maxillae form a long procrusible proboscis used for sucking liquid food
such as nectar

Examples: butterfly, moths

Order Hymenoptera

1. Presence of a narrow waist between the thorax and abdomen

2. The fore wings are larger than the hind wings

3. The fore wings are joined to the hind wings by a hook

4. Members are mostly social insects

5. They have chewing or sucking mouthparts

Examples: ants, bees, wasps

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Order Isoptera

1. Members posses similar narrow membranous fore and hind wings or

wingless when they are shed

2. Their abdomen join broadly to the thorax

3. Presence of biting and chewing mouthparts

4. Members are mostly social insects

5. They undergo incomplete metamorphosis

Example: termite

Order Odonata

1. Members posses two pairs of equal membranous wings

2. They have narrow or long bodies with brilliant metallic colours

3. They have a pair of large compound eyes

4. They undergo incomplete metamorphosis

Examples: dragonfly, damsefly

Phylum Echinodermata (Includes star fishes, brittle stars, sea urchins, sea cucumbers)

Main Characters:

1. Marine animals, with unsegmented body

2. Head absent, body surface marked with 5 radiating areas

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3. Radial symmetry

4. Movement by tube feet

5. Sexes usually separate

6. Regeneration of lost parts a peculiarity

7. Adults are radially symmetrical, but the larvae are bilaterally symmetrical

Classes

1. Class stelleroidea

2. Class Echinoidea

Class Stelleroidea

1. Dorso-ventrally flattened

2. Star shaped with five arms radiating from a central disc

Examples: star fish, brittle star

Class Echinoidea

1. Arms are absent

2. Body is covered with long movable spines

Example: Urchin

PHYLUM CHORDATA
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Main Characters:

1. Notochord present at some stage of life, in most cases replaced by

backbone

2. Dorsal tubular nerve cord

3. Triploblastic bilaterally symmetrical, coelomate

4. Possession of mascular organs

5. Respiration is by means of gills or lungs

6. Distinct head bearing sense organs

7. Vertebral column is enclosed by a hollow canal

8. Gill slits present at some stage of life. (larval or adult)

9. Body with a head and trunk and two pairs of appendages

Class. Chondrichthyes (cartilaginous fish)

(Chondro = cartilage; ichtyes = fish)

1. Mouth ventral

2. Tail heterocecal

3. Skeleton cartilaginous

4. Five to seven pairs of gills

5. Pectoral fins and ventral

6. Fin rays are absent

7. Tail is heterocecal; asymmetric tail fin

8. They are poikilothermic

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9. Scales are shape and point or tooth-like

10. Operculum (gill cover) absent

Examples: Scoliodon (dog-fish), shark, skates, rays

Class Osteichthyes (bonny fish)

(os = bone; ichtayes = fish)

1. Mouth terminal, dentition is homodont

2. Body is covered with flat, backwardly pointing scales

3. Pectoral fin is lateral

4. Tail homocercal

5. Skeleton bony

6. Four pairs of gills

7. Operculum present

8. They are Poikilothermic

Examples: Labeo (Rohu), tilapia, herrings, tuna

Class Amphibia

(amphi: double or both, “bois” : life referring to life on land as well as in water)

Main Characters:

1. Partly live in water and partly on land

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2. Skin smooth or rough, rich in glands.

3. Two pairs of limbs; pentadactyl (five fingered), digits without claws

4. Body with distinct head and trunk, no neck

5. Two nostrils opening into buccal cavity

6. Tympanum present on surface of body wall

7. Eggs are laid in water

8. In early stage of life (larvae), they breathe by means of gills, but adults
breathe by lungs

9. Heart three chambers

10. Larval stage tailed and aquatic

11. They are poikilothermic

12. Some are tailed (salamender) and some other are tailless (Frog, Toad)

Examples: Salamandra, proteus, Rana (Frog), Bufo (Toad), Ichtyophis

Class Reptilian

(reptere: to crawl): are four legged or legless crawling animals whose body covered
into scales.

Characteristic features:

1. Terrestrial (live on land), or some are aquatic (live in water)

2. Body covered with horny scales

3. Skin is dry
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4. Paired pentadactyl limbs (absent in snakes) with clawed digits

5. Tympanum small and depressed (absent in snakes)

6. Heart three chambered but with a partly divided ventricle (4-chambered in

crocodiles)

7. Their eggs have leathery shell (cledoic)

8. Fertilization is internal

9. They are poikilothermic

Examples: Tortoise, turtles, garden lizard (calotes) wall lizard (Hemidactylas),

cobra (Naga naja) and crocodile (Crocodilus) Gharial (Gravialis)

Class Aves (avis = Bird)

Characteristics Features:

1. Members are both terrestrial and arboreal

2. Warm-blooded (homoiothermal, also called endothermal i.e. body

temperature remains constant)

3. Body covered with feathers, scales are present only on hind-limbs

4. Body is divided into three parts, head, neck and trunk

5. Jaws with horny beak, no teeth

6. Hind-limbs with four digits adapted for perching, walking or swimming

7. Bones with air spaces to make the skeleton light (pneumatic bones)

8. Fore limbs modified into wings for flight

9. Heart 4-chambered, lungs for respiration connected with air-sacs

SIMPLIFIED BIOLOGY NOTES FOR SENIOR HIGH SCHOOLS

10. Voice-box or syrinx (present at the junction of trachea and bronchi)

11. Only left ovary and oviduct present in the females (economy in body
weight)

12. All oviparous (lay eggs), egg with much yolk and calcareous shell

Examples: Struthio (Ostrich), Abteryx (kiwi), pPavo (Peacock) Columba,

(Pigeon), Corvus (Crow)

Class Mammalia (Mamma : breast)

Characteristics features:

1. Members are terrestrial few are aquatic

2. Body covered with hair

3. Presence of milk (Mammary) glands

4. Sweat and oil glands in the skin

5. Body divided into head, neck, trunk and tail: tail absent in some

6. Projecting external ears (pinna) present

7. Digits usually ending in claws, nails or hoofs

8. Dentition thecodont (teeth in socket of jaw bones) and generally

heterodont (four different types)

9. Seven neck vertebrae

10. Homoeothermal, warm blooded and heart four chambered

11. Testis are extra-abdominal (not within abdominal cavity) contained in

scrotal sacs
SIMPLIFIED BIOLOGY NOTES FOR SENIOR HIGH SCHOOLS

12. Viviparous (give birth to the young) (some primitive mammals are
oviparous)(lay eggs)

13. Foetus is nourished by mother through placenta

Examples: humans, monkeys, bat, whales, gorilla.