CreatureData

Animal groups

The names people use every day do not always match a single branch of the tree of life. Each group here is defined by the branches it contains, so membership is never hand-picked.

  1. Mammals

    big cats (5), primates (2), bears (2), whales and dolphins (2), bats (1), rodents (1), marsupials (2)

    20 species
  2. Birds

    birds of prey (2), owls (2), parrots (1), penguins (1), waterfowl (1), songbirds (1)

    12 species
  3. Reptiles

    snakes (1), lizards (2), turtles and tortoises (1), crocodilians (2)

    6 species
  4. Amphibians

    frogs and toads (2), salamanders (2)

    4 species
  5. Fish

    sharks and rays (3), bony fish (3)

    6 species
  6. Insects

    butterflies and moths (1), beetles (2), bees, wasps and ants (1), dragonflies (1)

    5 species
  7. Arachnids

    spiders (1), scorpions (1)

    2 species
  8. Crustaceans

    crabs and lobsters (2)

    2 species
  9. Molluscs

    octopus and squid (2), snails and slugs (1)

    3 species
  10. Other invertebrates

    jellyfish and corals (2), echinoderms (1), worms (1)

    4 species