Characteristics of Living Things

Objectives: To define and describe the

characteristics of living organisms. To
understand the use of a classificatory
system.

The Seven Characteristics

Movement

Nutrition

Respiration

MRS GREN

Excretion

Sensitivity

Reproduction

Growth

Movement
An action by an organism or part of an organism causing
a change of position or place.

Respiration
The chemical reactions that break down nutrient
molecules in living cells to release energy.

Sensitivity
The ability to detect or sense changes in the environment
(stimuli) and to make responses.

Growth
A permanent increase in size and dry mass by an increase in
cell number or cell size or both

Reproduction
The processes that make more of the same kind of
organism

Excretion
The removal from organisms of toxic materials, the waste
products of metabolism (chemical reactions in cells
including respiration) and substances in excess.

Nutrition
Taking in of nutrients which are organic substances and
mineral ions, containing raw materials or energy for
growth and tissue repair, absorbing and assimilating
them.

Classification
Classification is the method used by scientists to order living organisms. All
species have a unique classification that results in a binomial name.
A name that is made up of two parts showing the genus and the species.

Felis domesticus
Ananas comosus

Cannis familiaris

Eqqus caballus

Cannis vulpes

Classification Ranks

Kingdom
Phylum
Class
Order
Family
Genus
Species

1.
2.
3.
4.

animalia (all multicellular animals)

plantae (all green plants)
fungi (moulds, mushrooms, yeast)
prokaryote (bacteria, blue-green
algae)
5. protoctista (amoeba, paramecium)

Vertebrates
The vertebrates are animals with a backbone. Scientists separate this
group into smaller groups because of their features:
How the animal takes in oxygen
Thermoregulation
Reproduction
Vertebrate Groups
Bony fish
Amphibians
Reptiles
Birds
Mammals

Bony Fish
Characteristics
o Scaly skin
o Fins
o Gills
o External Fertilisation
o Oviparous
o Poikilotherm

Amphibians
Characteristics
o Moist scale-less skin
o Eggs laid in water
o Larva lives in water whilst adult lives on land
(usually)
o Larva has gills, adult has lungs
o Oviparous
o Poikilotherm
o External fertilisation

Reptiles
Characteristics
o Scaly skin
o Lay eggs with rubbery shells
o Lungs
o Internal fertilisation
o Oviparous
o Poikilotherm

Birds
Characteristics
o Have feathers and a beak
o Forelimbs become wings
o Lay eggs with hard shells
o Lungs
o Internal fertilisation
o Oviparous
o Homeotherm

Mammals
Characteristics
o Have hair, placenta, diaphragm, heart with 4
chambers, different types of teeth, cerebral
hemispheres well developed.
o Lungs
o Internal fertilisation
o Vivaparous
o Homeotherm

Invertebrates
Animals WITHOUT vertebral column/backbone
There are 4 main phyla of invertebrates MANA
Molluscs
Annelids
Nematodes
Arthropods (the largest one)
N.B Think about the adaptation of all of these to
their environment!

Moluscs
Non-segmented soft bodies
Have muscular foot for
burrowing/movement
May have one/two shell(s)- for protection and
to reduce water loss in their bodies.

Annelids
Worms with soft, segmented bodies
Have paddle-like extensions for moving and
chaetae/bristles for making contact with
mud/soil
Mostly live in the sea (though some do live in
soil and fresh water)

Nematodes (roundworms)
Group of worms with thread-like, nonsegmented bodies (narrow at mouth and
anus)
No obvious head
Tiny and live in soils and water
Some are parasites living in another animal
(called the host)

Arthropods
Have segmented body with exoskeleton
(external skeleton)
Exoskeleton allows them to live on dry land
Divides into FOUR CLASSES:
Myriapods
Insects (largest group)
Crustaceans
Arachnids

Myriapods
Have long, segmented bodies, with pairs of
legs on each segment
Centipedes and millipedes

Insects
Bodies divided into head, abdomen and
thorax (H.A.T)
Have 3 pairs of legs and 2 pairs of wings
Covered with waterproof cuticle to minimise
water loss
Have a pair of antennae and compound eyes
on head
Breathe through holes in the sides of thorax
and abdomen (aka spiracles)

Crustaceans
Have bodies divided into head-thorax and
abdomen
Most have hard, chalky exoskeleton for
protection against predators
Have 2 pairs of antennae, compound eyes and
5-20 legs
Breathe using gills
Nearly all live in water

Arachnids
Have bodies divided into head-thorax and
abdomen
Have 4 pairs of legs
No wings and antennae
Have pairs of simple (not compound) eyes
Have spinnerets to weave silk webs

Flowering Plants
Classified into TWO groups
1) Monocotyledonous plants
1 cotyledon
strap like leaves

parallel veins
flower parts divisible by 3

example: kaffir lily

Flowering Plants
2) Dicotyledonous plants
2 cotyledons
broad leaves
branching veins
flower parts divisible by 4 or 5
example: hibiscus

Which is which?

Bacteria
Bacteria are single-celled organisms
Bacteria cells are about 1/1000th the size of
animal or plant cells.

Viruses
Viruses are not classified as living things as
they are not made up of cells.
Viruses are very small, approximately 100nm
across (1nm = 1/1000 000 of a mm)

Viruses reproduce by invading other

cells

Fungi
The main body of a fungus is the mycelium,
which is made of hyphae
Fungal cells have cell walls made of
substances such as chitin

Dichotomous Keys