Multicellular eukaryotes
Animal bodies are made of many cells with nuclei, coordinated into tissues or specialized cell systems.
Kingdom Animalia
One kingdom. Extraordinary diversity.
Animals share a deep evolutionary branch, yet they have developed remarkably different bodies, behaviors, habitats, and relationships.
Animalia at a glance
More than familiar vertebrates.
The active June 19, 2026 Catalogue of Life eXtended Release lists more than 1.8 million accepted species in Animalia. Most animal diversity is found among invertebrate lineages.
ZuviaVerse begins with representative groups—not because they are the only important ones, but because they provide a clear first map for exploration.
1.8M+accepted Animalia species listed in COL26.6 XR
Shared characteristics
What makes an animal an animal?
Energy from other organisms
Animals obtain organic energy by consuming or absorbing material produced by other living things.
Movement and response
Most animals can move during at least one life stage and sense or respond to their surroundings.
Major invertebrate lineages
Different body plans, different ways to live.
This starter map highlights six major lineages. It is intentionally selective and will expand as ZuviaVerse grows.
Porifera
Giant barrel sponge
Xestospongia muta
Filter-feeding animals whose bodies move water through many pores.
Connection: Water filtration
Cnidaria
Staghorn coral
Acropora cervicornis
Animals with specialized stinging cells; corals build complex colonies.
Connection: Reef habitat
Annelida
Giant tube worm
Riftia pachyptila
Segmented worms that move through soil and process organic material.
Connection: Soil structure
Mollusca
Common octopus
Octopus vulgaris
A diverse phylum including snails, clams, squids, and octopuses.
Connection: Coastal food webs
Arthropoda
Monarch butterfly
Danaus plexippus
Animals with jointed limbs and external skeletons; the largest animal phylum.
Connection: Migration and flowers
Echinodermata
Common sea star
Asterias rubens
Marine animals with a water vascular system and distinctive adult symmetry.
Connection: Seafloor balance
Within Chordata
Five vertebrate learning pathways.
These familiar pathways sit within the phylum Chordata. “Fishes” is used as an introductory learning group and does not represent one single formal class.
Fishes (learning pathway)
Whale shark
Rhincodon typus
A practical educational grouping covering several vertebrate lineages, not one formal class.
Connection: Plankton and open ocean
Amphibia
Axolotl
Ambystoma mexicanum
Vertebrates with life histories closely tied to water and moist environments.
Connection: Freshwater systems
Reptilia
Green sea turtle
Chelonia mydas
Amniote vertebrates with scales and varied terrestrial or aquatic lifestyles.
Connection: Seagrass and migration
Aves
Bald eagle
Haliaeetus leucocephalus
Feathered vertebrates whose adaptations include flight in most living species.
Connection: Aquatic food webs
Mammalia
Florida manatee
Trichechus manatus latirostris
Hair-bearing vertebrates whose young are nourished with milk.
Connection: Warm-water habitat
Classification opens the door; connections complete the story.
A group tells us about shared structure and ancestry. A ZuviaVerse profile then asks how that animal finds food, responds to change, shapes its habitat, and depends on other life.
Scientific foundation: the taxonomic structure in this version uses the Catalogue of Life eXtended Release 2026-06-19 (COL26.6 XR) (opens in a new tab). Biodiversity-data interpretation follows GBIF documentation (opens in a new tab). Taxonomy changes as evidence develops, so every profile must be reviewed before final publication.