Presentation on the topic animal world. The most interesting things about animals

Almost all children adore encyclopedias about animals; they easily remember information about the habits of exotic animals, and can show the point on the map where unusual animals live. In this way they enrich their horizons with truly broad biological knowledge. Over time, this interest subsides, but the natural world is still amazing and diverse. This means that at any age you can get carried away by the story called “in the animal world.” You can bet that you have not only never seen some of the heroes of this article, but you didn’t even suspect that such specimens were found in nature. And these are not just birds of outlandish colors or scary insects, the sight of which alone can make you lose consciousness; among the unique animals of our planet are the cutest primates, dolphins with long “noses” and simply gothic crocodiles. And if you organize a hunt for these animals, then only with the prefix “photo”.

So, a selection - The most interesting animals in the world

Proboscis

Photo: The most interesting animals in the world. Proboscis

This animal is not entirely inglorious: it is very photogenic because it has a really significant advantage - its remarkable nose. Such a huge nose does not spoil the monkey: the cute creature makes everyone smile. Proboscis monkeys live on the island of Barneo, which belongs to the Malay archipelago. The potato nose decorates not only males, but also females.

Primates live in forest areas. Their favorite time is the afternoon and evening; during this period they organize a real “movement”, but in the dark and early in the morning they prefer to rest.

Proboscis monkeys do not grow higher than 75 cm; adult individuals weigh about 22 kg. The monkeys' fur is yellowish-brown, sometimes turning white. There is no hair on the reddish-brown muzzle.

Proboscis monkeys, by the way, are excellent swimmers. Not every monkey, to put it mildly, can boast that it can swim 20 m underwater. Moreover, these are the best swimmers among primates. They can also walk vertically: only people, gibbons and, in fact, proboscis monkeys do this. Why do they have this a big nose, scientists did not understand, they agreed that it was simply a symbol of attractiveness. Unfortunately, such charming monkeys are in danger: this is due to active deforestation.

Tarsier

They say about such people: “Haven’t you acted in cartoons?” Indeed, the appearance of this animal literally begs to be shown on the screen. This is also a primate, but very small and completely different from its relatives. The eyeball's body weight is about 160 g. Females are slightly larger than females, their height reaches a maximum of 16 cm (and these are giants). Tarsier fits perfectly in the hand.

What is very big about the tarsier is a long tail- about 30 cm. The animal also has long paws, with which it pushes off. The animal has long fingers on all its paws; they help it quickly and deftly climb branches and trunks.

The tarsier can also turn its head virtually 360 degrees. The animal has large ears compared to its head, which are capable of detecting sounds with a frequency of up to 90 kHz. There are special facial muscles on the tarsier’s face, thanks to which it changes its “facial” expression. This is the oldest animal in the Philippine Islands; they used to be seen in Europe and North America, but the tarsier population is rapidly declining.

Star-nosed

Photo: The most interesting animals in the world. Star-nosed

The name is quite cute, but the beast itself certainly cannot be called handsome. This is a mole that often comes to the surface of the earth. But, of course, this is not its main difference. His pride is his outstanding nose. Actually, it’s not even a nose, but tentacles that grow around a bare oval stigma. This is all shaped like an asterisk.

Only two out of twenty-two rays are motionless, the rest are constantly exploring the world. By the way, thanks to these tentacles, the starfish immediately determines whether the food is fit for consumption.

His life is a constant digging of underground passages, some of them lead to the so-called “rest chambers”, some to a reservoir. In general, one can call the starfish an excellent logistician.

Tasmanian devil

Photo: The most interesting animals in the world. Tasmanian devil

Sometimes it is also called the marsupial devil. The mammal received such an outrageous nickname for the heartbreaking screams it makes at night. The Tasmanian devil also has a mouth with large teeth; it loves to tear meat with its sharp fangs, which also does not add to its cuteness.

On my own marsupial devil going to see a dog or a small bear: if you don’t open your mouth, then there’s nothing terrible, in general. Males are larger than females, the former weighing about 12 kg. In reality, the Tasmanian devil is scary. Its appearance is deceptive for the time being: one bite and the victim’s skull and spine are bitten.

The marsupial devil lives in Tasmania. Tasmanian devils used to live in Australia, but it seems that dingoes exterminated these animals. In front it has a fold of skin where the animal can carry its young. It is interesting that the female has only 4 nipples, and the offspring is huge - 30 babies, so nature itself adjusts the number of scavenger animals.

Red panda

Photo: The most interesting animals in the world. Red panda

Otherwise known as a fire cat or a bear cat. Actually, the rare animal does not particularly resemble a cat: it is larger, the head is large, the tail is wide, the paws are strong and powerful. What the red panda can rightfully boast of is its unusual color. The coat is unevenly colored, darker underneath, red or hazel on top. The paws are black, the head is light with a white border along the edges.

It is also interesting that absolutely every panda has its own muzzle color. It is impossible to find two identical pandas - and in this they are undoubtedly unique beauties.

In the photo, these are absolute cuties whose fluffy fur you just want to stroke. In life they are quite peaceful, however, if they need to fight for their place in the sun, pandas can behave aggressively. Animals lead night image life: during the day they prefer to relax and soak up. They like to sleep in a hollow, curled up into a ball, covered with a gorgeous tail. These are very interesting animals: they even have their own language, somewhat reminiscent of the chirping of birds.

Sloth

Photo: The most interesting animals in the world. Sloth

If there was a competition on planet Earth for the cutest animal, the sloth would definitely be on the list of finalists. This adorable animal from the group of incomplete teeth, perhaps even the most serious person in the world will make him smile.

A distinctive feature of the sloth, in addition to its attractive face, is two (or three, depending on who you choose) hook-shaped fingers. The animal reaches half a meter and weighs very little - 4-6 kg. The fur is brown-gray. The sloth's limbs are long, but its head is simply tiny. Thanks to his tenacious fingers, he attaches himself anywhere, hangs, swings, crawls, jumps.

Animals are truly unique: for example, their teeth do not have roots or enamel, but are so smooth that it is surprising where nature gets such precise patterns. True, two-toed sloths have two separate fangs. Its organs are arranged in a mirror image, and all because the sloth often hangs with its back down. They are very clean, mobile, active, tenacious. Sloths also have the strongest immunity.

Aardvark

Photo: The most interesting animals in the world. Aardvark

From a cute sloth to a not so cute aardvark. This beast is very strange, if you have read the Moomin saga by Tove Janson, you probably remember the character Sniff. So the aardvark is the spitting image of Sniff. Just absolutely smooth.

Nature played a joke on the poor fellow: the aardvark does not look very cute, but by nature it is a peace-loving, calm animal. His head looks like a gas mask with a pig snout, his ears are very large, reminiscent of a donkey. In some ways, the aardvark is similar to the anteater, but they are not related at all. He has 20 teeth, without enamel and roots, they grow throughout his life. In Africa, the animal was nicknamed the earth pig.

The aardvark is timid: when it sees a large animal or person, it immediately buries itself in the ground. During the day they are passive - they simply bask in the sun or sleep in their burrows. They get their food at night, they have a good sense of smell, and aardvarks are capable of moving over long distances.

Leafy Sea Dragon

Photo: The most interesting animals in the world. Foliar sea ​​Dragon

It is also more poetically called the sea pegasus. This animal has truly fantastic plumage. Greenish transparent fins cover its body and sway under the influence of water. Its amazing structure is only a practical necessity, as the animal disguises itself as algae in order to survive.

For all its apparent defenselessness, the sea dragon is a true predator. He loves to eat shrimp and small fish. The dragon has no teeth, and therefore simply sucks its prey. At the same time, in a literal sense without fish, a dragon can suck in garbage and even algae.

It is also a very “advanced” animal. The cubs are carried by males in a special pouch. That is, the female simply lays eggs in this bag, and everything else is the responsibility of the father. Fair distribution of family responsibilities, to say the least.

Rhinopithecus

Photo: The most interesting animals in the world. Rhinopithecus

It is a prominent member of the marmoset family. And prominent is a word that vividly defines the animal. This is a large monkey, females of which can reach 35 kg. Otherwise, the animal is called the Chinese snub-nosed monkey.

For a naturalist, this primate is simply beautiful. The eyes are huge, the nose is upturned, the fur is light and bright. In fact, they have practically no nose, which is why the muzzle looks flat. But since rhinopithecus live in a harsh climate, the lack of a long nose is justified, otherwise they would still freeze it.

Rhinopithecus spends most of its life in trees. The cubs are raised by both parents. Handsome people live in Chinese forests. Looking at them, it seems that the monkeys have bright masks on their faces - blue, bluish, yellowish. It even looks like their lips and eyebrows are painted. But no, this is the natural “face” of a monkey - this is how nature created it. But looking at this imitation of makeup, there is less and less doubt that man descended from a monkey.

Giant salamander

Photo: The most interesting animals in the world. Giant salamander

The Japanese (giant) salamander is, as some joke, cousin Chupacabras. An adult reaches 27 kg, which is a huge weight for an amphibian. Its body is covered with mucus, its head is flattened on top. The salamander has warty skin with fringes on the sides. The length of this monster (how else can I say it?) can reach 175 cm. It lives in Japan, in mountain rivers and streams with cool, clean water.

The salamander is nocturnal. Hunts insects, fish, amphibians and crayfish. Their vision is terrible, but their sense of smell is simply phenomenal. The salamander molts several times a year, and it can eat small particles of its own skin.

By the way, salamander meat is a real delicacy. Animals are also used to make medicines, and these drugs treat consumption, diseases of the digestive system, etc. To date giant salamander is on the verge of extinction.

Galago

Photo: The most interesting animals in the world. Galago

This is an African primate, which can also be called a cutie. Big eyes, round ears - nocturnal animal Moreover, he is also quite emotional. His ears can curl into a tube: so if, after your stories, your friend’s ears curl up into a tube, as he himself says, check if he is a galago. In fact, such a rare skill helps the animal keep its ears intact: by making its way through foliage and thorny branches, there is no other way to save them.

Galago has become domesticated today. Yes, although this animal will be expensive, some people would not mind having such a pet. It leaves no fur, no dirt, no noise, and is not aggressive. But, for example, if you accidentally get crushed by the refrigerator door. And if you frighten a galago, it can scratch the weight. But this is not from aggression, but from the desire to protect oneself.

Tibetan fox

Photo: The most interesting animals in the world. Tibetan fox

And this is the smallest fox. It does not grow higher than 70 cm, while the fox’s tail is long – almost half a meter. The animal weighs almost 5 kg. The fox is very small, and only its fluffiness makes it, one might say, more or less like a fox.

Her fur coat is luxurious, warm, even with down. Clothes help her endure both the fierce cold and the unbearable heat.

What you will definitely remember about the Tibetan fox is its unusual head. The fur on it grows so that it seems as if the animal has a square head. And this strange head has very narrow eyes. This portrait is complemented by sharp ears. The fox looks calm, calm, in a word - a true inhabitant of Tibet.

An unusual fox lives for 10 years. But even this age is not allowed to reach her by a person. Foxes are killed mainly for their fur, although it is not particularly valuable. It turns out that, due to the will of the human factor, the fox lives two times shorter than expected: about 5 years.

Amazonian dolphin

Photo: The most interesting animals in the world. Amazonian dolphin

A rare collection that describes interesting facts about animals does without this character - the Amazonian dolphin. By the way, this animal has a brain 40% larger than a human brain. He moves his head 180 degrees perfectly.

What makes it unique? Outwardly, it differs from its brothers. He is even called the big-nosed miracle. The dolphin's muzzle and tail are narrow. The beak is even slightly curved. These nose-nosed whales live only in Latin America.

They are excellent at maneuvering while swimming, and would be offended if you called them slow. There is such a stereotype that is unfair for Amazonian dolphins. They are not slow, they just don’t have the need to swim quickly.

Let us remember that dolphins are mammals - the female feeds the dolphin cubs with milk for up to a year (almost like in humans). Nosalises can get used to people, but they cannot be trained. In captivity, these animals are aggressive, so they cannot live in aquariums.

Gavial

Photo: The most interesting animals in the world. Gavial

Another miracle of nature - there’s no other way to say it. They also call him a guest from the past. This is a venerable crocodile that looks like a mythological animal. Gharials live in fast rivers with deep currents. It is difficult for them to move on land - they are not adapted for this.

The gharial's jaw is three times as long as it is wide. There are almost a hundred teeth in the crocodile's mouth. Long-snouts feed mainly on fish, but they do not disdain carrion. They don't attack living people.

The gharial has a soft tissue appendage on its snout. This is a resonator, thanks to which it can make a loud buzzing sound.

purple frog

Photo: The most interesting animals in the world. purple frog

This “beauty” lives in India, and certainly bears little resemblance to her more common relatives. And it's not just about color. It is very round, the head is small compared to the body of the purple frog. She lives only underground. They need a moist environment because housing issue The purple frog decides this way - it digs itself a deep hole, and goes underground one and a half to three meters or even more.

The frog feeds mainly on termites - it simply cannot swallow other insects. But it can be easily reached: its small, sharp muzzle can fit anywhere. The frog's vision is poor, but its sense of touch is amazing: it easily gets its food.

Okapi (forest giraffe)

Photo: The most interesting animals in the world. Okapi

No one can say how many okapi live in the wild. They live in the plains tropical forests. At the same time, okapi resemble both a giraffe and a zebra. The stripes on their legs make them invisible in the forest. The animal leads a diurnal lifestyle.

Forest giraffes feed on leaves, shoots, and buds. Some plants found in the forest are toxic. Therefore, there is an opinion that okapi eat coal from burned forest trees: they say it serves as an antidote to them. Okapi will also not refuse to feast on mushrooms, fruits and ferns.

They do not like to live in groups; even females and males meet together only in mating season. Forest giraffes live up to 33 years.

Sifaka

Photo: The most interesting animals in the world. Sifaka

A resident of Madagascar, who would be correctly called a prosimian, lives in rain forests, is awake during the day, and lives in family groups. Unlike the same forest giraffe, not a big follower family values, the sifaku can be called a wonderful family man.

There is an opinion that if you are walking around Madagascar and a sifaka appears on your way, then this is a good sign. You are going the right way - that’s what the sifaka wants to say. But this is only a belief, but what is known for sure is that this animal is very cute and touching. Local residents also claim that sifaka is an excellent healer. He alone knows how to find unique leaves that miraculously heal wounds.

Cream, white, black, orange - these animals can be different in color. The length of a sifaka's tail is equal to the length of its body. They are also simply outstanding jumpers: he will not even falter from the risky flight, which will impress any spectator. They are surprisingly flexible and photogenic: if you admire the animals in the photo, an association with ballet steps or even beautiful martial arts will clearly come to mind. That's right, what interesting animals!

Herbivore Dracula

Photo: The most interesting animals in the world. Herbivore Dracula

From the adorable sifaka to the not-so-cute herbivore Dracula. This is a South American relative of bats. To be honest, he no longer looks like a mouse, but like an angry monkey. The animal has a leathery growth on its muzzle, which does not at all give it any charm. But this seems like a deformity to us, but in the world of relatives, such a growth is assessed as a factor of sexual attractiveness.

During the day they visit dark places, gorges, and hide in ficus trees. They eat berries, seeds, fruits. In principle, there is nothing so terrible that it suggests appearance, you can’t say about the herbivorous Dracula. But those huge bulging eyes and smiling mouth make the animal look terrifying.

Water deer

Photo: The most interesting animals in the world. Water deer

At first glance, this is an ordinary deer - nothing remarkable, nothing unique. Small tail, short hair, sparse undercoat. But this is only at first glance! Sharp saber-shaped fangs of about 6 cm protrude from the animal's mouth. A deer is like a deer, but with such fangs a very cute animal becomes like a vampire.

Water deer live along the banks of swamps and rivers, feeding on grass, leaves and shoots. In the fight for the female, they organize real duels, and then they literally tear apart the opponent with their fangs. They live in Korea and China, but you can easily see water deer in zoos around the world. Looking at an animal, you wonder how nature manages to combine seemingly incompatible things. But there is nothing accidental about it.

Belttail

Photo: The most interesting animals in the world. Belttail

Another animal that seems to have come straight out of an illustration for fairy tales and myths. The reptile is distinguished by the fact that its entire body is covered with large scales, and on its back it is especially hard, like a shell. But on the belly the scales are thin, so this place on the belt-tail is really vulnerable. Towards the end of the tail, the scales run in circles along the rim of the body, thus creating peculiar belts with spikes.

Yes, the belt-tail is very reminiscent of a fairy-tale dragon. Animals live in groups, with two or three females for each male. They protect themselves from predators in a very unique way: small belt-tailed fish can curl up into a ring and bite their tail with such force that it is impossible to unhook it. The predator is simply unable to cope with this spiked ring.

sun bear

Photo: The most interesting animals in the world. sun bear

Otherwise, this bear is also called a honey bear. This animal does not hibernate, and therefore reproduces at any time of the year. They live for 30 years; a female can give birth to two babies per year. But this is not even what makes the sun bear interesting: it is not fluffy, not shaggy, but smooth. The dark bear with a yellow muzzle in the photo is just charming, unless it growls.

This is a real bear: in the sense that it loves honey very much. He has the most powerful jaws - with them the bear can even break coconuts. The animal has long and powerful claws, thanks to which it climbs trees well. And to extract honey and termites, the bear uses a long, agile tongue. Good eyesight The sun bear cannot boast, but his keen sense of smell does not let him down.

Mandarin duck

Photo: The most interesting animals in the world. Mandarin duck

Interesting animals of Russia are a special chapter of the world encyclopedia of animals. And how can one not remember the picturesque Mandarin duck? Green, red, orange, beige feathers – this duck is just so beautiful. It can be seen on the Amur, on Sakhalin, in the Khabarovsk Territory. True, these beauties fly to warmer climes for the winter.

This duck is a great teacher in the animal world. Her cubs become independent very early. No matter how high the nest is, they will jump out of there themselves. In this case, there are no injuries. But what, or rather, from whom they suffer, is from wild animals. Because of the latter, the population of mandarin ducks is declining.

Amur leopard

Photo: The most interesting animals in the world. Amur leopard

If you think that leopards are only an African heritage, you are mistaken. On Far East There's a handsome man living in Russia Amur leopard. It is also often called the Amur leopard.

This is a solitary animal that prefers a nocturnal lifestyle. In summer, his coat is bright, juicy, rich, and lighter in winter. In summer, the leopard's fur is no more than 2.5 cm, and in winter the fur coat becomes thicker - 7 cm. In captivity, the Amur leopard's belly is about 20 years old, in the wild - about 5 years less.

The animal is constantly hunted illegally. It is destroyed for the sake of valuable, beautiful fur. The leopard also feeds on deer. And since humans exterminate deer, this also affects the quality of the leopard’s diet and its survival. The animal is also on the verge of extinction.

Panda Ant

Photo: The most interesting animals in the world. Panda Ant

I would like to finish the list of unique inhabitants of the planet that are truly worthy of perpetuation in the animated genre of the panda-ant. This insect is distinguished by its black and white color, which is why they resemble a panda. The insect is also called the velvet ant, since its body is covered with hairs.

But the cute ant is not so pleasant to deal with: it has a powerful toxin in its arsenal, which can kill even a cow in a few bites. They can resist their enemies; over the course of their evolution, panda ants have learned to defend themselves.

And this is only a small part of the amazing creatures that inhabit the planet. Studying them, examining them, getting to know them is a fascinating activity that can become a hobby for both children and adults.

The concept of animals includes the totality of all multicellular, eukaryotic organisms of the Animal Kingdom living on our planet. The animal world includes both wild and domesticated animals. Man is also in the natural taxonomy of fauna.

Animals can be divided into and. Vertebrates have a vertebra or spinal column, and they number less than 3% of all described faunal species. They include: fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals. The remaining animals are invertebrates, which are characterized by the absence of a backbone. These include: shellfish (mussels, oysters, octopus, squid, snails); arthropods (centipedes, insects, spiders, scorpions, crabs, lobsters, shrimp); annelids (earthworms, leeches), nematodes, flatworms (tapeworms), cnidarians (jellyfish, sea anemones, corals), ctenophores and sponges. The study of animals is a science called.

Evolution of the animal world

Animal evolution is defined as: the gradual process by which a living organism becomes more complex (changes into a more complex or better form) in response to . The theory of animal evolution is currently the most popular concept of how the animal kingdom reached its current state.

In fact, the evolution of animals is accompanied by many contradictions and has several important components: natural selection, macroevolution and microevolution.

Natural selection is the mechanism that drives evolution. It forces animals to adapt to environmental changes. Some evidence of natural selection has been seen in the nature of the world, but not to a degree that would change the species in any meaningful way. Every genetic mutation that science has observed, including changes in the form or function of an organism, has resulted in decreased fitness in certain environments or even death. This means that the ecosystem is vulnerable to rapid change, since organisms that cannot adapt usually die.

Nobody questions the existence of microevolution. Wolves, coyotes, dingoes, jackals, foxes and hundreds are known to different breeds dogs had a common ancestor. These are variations among different species within the same canid family, rather than upward evolution from a simple to a complex organism, as Darwin's theory of evolution suggests. Change is always in a downward trend and is limited by the genetic code (dogs do not grow wings or learn to fly). No new genetic information is added, it is always lost: the original canid ancestor had all the characteristics of the various descendants, while the descendants themselves lost the same potential. Canids split into many species, which in turn became isolated gene pools.

While microevolution is well observed and documented, macroevolution is highly controversial. Macroevolution is the transition from one animal species to another. It involves large or important changes in the body's major functions. This cannot happen during the life of a single organism, but is the result of a series of genetic mutations. Every genetic mutation associated with a form or a specific function observed in laboratories was either fatal (crippling) or self-reversing. Macroevolution is the evolutionist explanation of how the billions of different species on Earth came into being - variation from one species to another.

Evolution as a basic mechanism of biology has some serious shortcomings. The vast majority of animals are forced to suffer rather than benefit from mutations. The balance of the earth's ecosystems, including the relationships between animal species, is almost impossible to explain under the ever-changing view of evolution. In fact, evolution is no different from other philosophical or religious views about the origin of life. It can be confirmed by some facts and refuted by others. There are gaps in the theory that are filled with “assumptions.”

Characteristics of animals

The fauna has several features that distinguish its representatives from other living beings. Animals are eukaryotic and multicellular, which separates them from bacteria and most protozoa. They are heterotrophs: as a rule, food digestion occurs in the gastrointestinal tract, and this feature is not found in plants and algae. In addition, they differ from plants, algae and fungi in the absence of rigid cell walls. All animals are mobile, at least at certain stages of life. In most species, embryos go through the blastula stage, which is unique to animals.

Multicellularity

Animals, by definition, are multicellular creatures, although the number of cells varies greatly between species. (For example, a roundworm Caenorhabditis elegans, which is widely used in biological experiments, consists of exactly 1031 cells, no more and no less, while a person consists of trillions of cells). However, it is important to understand that animals are not the only multicellular organisms; this feature is also found in plants, fungi, and even some types of algae.

Structure of a eukaryotic cell

Perhaps the most important schism in the history of life on Earth is the differences observed between cells. Prokaryotic organisms lack cell nuclei and any membrane-bound organelles, and are exclusively unicellular; for example, all bacteria are prokaryotes. In contrast, eukaryotic cells have well-defined nuclei and internal organelles (such as mitochondria), and are able to group together to form multicellular organisms. Although all animals are eukaryotes, not all eukaryotes are animals: this extremely diverse group also includes tiny marine animals.

Specialized fabrics

One of the most remarkable features of animals is their specialized tissues. They include: nervous, connective, muscle and epithelial tissues. More advanced organisms exhibit even more specific levels of differentiation; for example, the various organs of our body are made up of liver cells, pancreatic cells, and dozens of other varieties. (Exceptions are sponges, which are technically animals but have virtually no differentiated cells.)

Sexual reproduction

Most animals participate in sexual reproduction: two individuals have a certain set of genetically determined characteristics (determining sex), thanks to which individuals combine their genetic information and produce offspring that carry the DNA of both parents. (Exclusion warning: There are animals, including some species of sharks, that reproduce asexually.) The advantages of sexual reproduction are enormous from an evolutionary point of view: the ability to test different combinations of genomes allows animals to quickly adapt to new ones, and therefore there is a violation of competition with asexuals organisms. Again, sexual reproduction is not limited to animals: this method is also found in various plants, fungi, and even some very promising bacteria!

Blastula stage of development

When a male's sperm meets a female's egg, the result is a single cell called a zygote; After the zygote goes through several rounds of division, the morula stage begins. Only true animals experience the next stage: the formation of a blastula, when a hollow ball of several cells appears surrounding an internal cavity of fluid. Once the cells are enclosed in the blastula, they begin to differentiate into different types specialized tissues as described above.

Motor skills (ability to move around)

Fish swim, birds fly, dogs run, snails and snakes crawl - all animals are capable of movement at some stage in their life cycle. This evolutionary innovation allows animals to more easily conquer new ecological niches, pursue prey, and evade predators. (Yes, some animals, such as sponges and corals, are virtually motionless when they are fully grown, but their larvae are able to move around before they take root on the seafloor.) This is one of the key features that

Heterotrophy (ability to absorb food)

All living things require organic carbon for the functioning of basic life processes, including growth, development and reproduction. There are two ways to obtain carbon: from the environment (in the form of carbon dioxide, a freely available gas in the atmosphere) or by consuming other carbon-rich organisms. Living organisms that obtain carbon from the environment, such as plants, are called , while animals obtain carbon by ingesting other living organisms and are called heterotrophs. However, representatives of the fauna are not the only heterotrophs in the world; they include: all fungi, many and even some plants, at least partially.

Perfect nervous system

Have you ever seen a magnolia bush with eyes or a talking mushroom? Of all the organisms on Earth, only mammals are advanced enough to have more or less acute senses, including vision, hearing, taste, smell, balance and touch (not to mention the echolocation of dolphins and bats, or the ability of some fish and sharks sense magnetic impulses in the water using their “lateral lines”). These senses, of course, entail the existence of at least a rudimentary nervous system (as in insects and starfish), and in the most advanced animals a fully developed brain - perhaps one of the key features that truly sets animals apart from the rest.

Size and habitat

Animals can range in size from microscopic, such as plankton, to gigantic, such as the blue whale. They inhabit virtually every habitat on the planet, from the poles to the tropics and from mountain peaks to the deep, dark ocean waters.

Classification of the animal world

In order for us to understand how all living organisms are related to each other, they were organized into different groups. The more features a group of animals shares, the more specific it is. Animals are given scientific names so that people around the world can identify them, no matter what language they speak (these names are traditionally represented in the Latin alphabet).

Kingdom

All living organisms are first placed into different kingdoms. There are five different kingdoms for classifying life on Earth: animals, plants, fungi, bacteria and protists (single-celled organisms).

Type

The animal kingdom is divided into 40 small groups known as phyla. Here the animals are grouped according to their main characteristics. Each animal, as a rule, falls into one of various types which include:

• (Chordata);
• (Arthropoda);
• (Mollusca);
• (Echinodermata);
• (Cnidaria);
• (Annelida):
• (Porifera) etc.

Class

The type is then divided into even smaller groups known as classes. For example, the type of chordates ( Chordata), vertebrate subphylum ( Vertebrata) is divided into: mammals ( Mammalia), ray-finned fish ( Actinopterygii), cartilaginous fish ( Chondrichthyes), birds ( Aves), amphibians or amphibians ( Amphibia), reptiles or reptiles ( Reptilia) etc.

Squad

Each class is again divided into small groups called squads. Mammal class ( Mammalia) is divided into different sections including: predators ( Carnivora), primates ( Primate), artiodactyls ( Artiodactyla), rodents ( Rodentia) etc.

Family

Within each order there are different families of animals that share very similar traits. For example, the order is divided into families, which include: felines ( Felidae), canids ( Canidae), bearish ( Ursidae), kunitsevs ( Mustelidae) etc.

Genus

Each animal family is then divided into small groups known as genera. Each genus contains animals that have very similar traits and are closely related. For example, ( Felidae) includes such genera as: cats ( Felis) (including domestic cats); panthers ( Panthera) ( , And ); cougars ( Puma) (jaguarundis and pumas), etc.

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Each individual species in the genus is named after its individual features and characteristics. Animal names are used in Latin so that they can be understood throughout the world and consist of two words. The first word in the name of the animal will be the genus, and the second will be the specific species.

Example - Tiger

• Kingdom: Animals ( Animalia);
• Type: Chordata ( Chordata);
• Class: Mammals ( Mammalia);
• Squad: Predators ( Carnivora);
• Family: Felines ( Felidae);
• Genus: Panthers ( Panthera);
• Species: Tiger ( Panthera tigris).

How many species of animals are there on Earth?

Our planet has become home to a huge number of fauna. However, it is quite difficult to accurately estimate the number of animals. This is due to the fact that not all groups of animals received enough attention. For example, birds are the most studied group, while nematodes are considered poorly studied. The size of individuals and habitat also affect the ability to study in detail.

According to researchers, there are from 3 to 30 million animal species in the world, with about 97% being invertebrates (most large group invertebrates are insects), and 3% are vertebrates (of which the most famous are mammals, amphibians, reptiles, fish and birds).

Fauna of the continents

Animals of Australia

Australia is home to about 10% of our planet's biodiversity, making it one of the world's richest countries in terms of fauna. Almost 80% of the mainland's animals are endemic, meaning they are found nowhere else in the world.

Animals of Asia

black-backed tapir

Asia is the largest part of the world by area, in which there are various natural zones - from hot deserts to harsh ones. There are different conditions for the habitat of different species of animals, but they are subject to serious threats from humanity.

Animals of Antarctica

Emperor penguin

Antarctica is the coldest and most inhospitable part of the world. However, even here you can meet representatives of the animal world, which in most cases are migratory, since living conditions here are difficult throughout the year.

Animals of Africa

African elephant

A large continent through which the equator passes. It influences the diversity and fauna. Many endemic species of mammals, reptiles, amphibians, birds and invertebrates can be found on the mainland.

Animals of Europe

Brown bear

The fauna of Europe is not as rich as in other parts of the world. This is due to the fact that most of the continent lies in a temperate climate zone, which does not support significant biological diversity.

Animals of North America

Nine-banded armadillo

The continent of North America is located in the northern part of the Western Hemisphere. The fauna of the mainland, like its one, has significant similarities with Europe. Nevertheless, there are certain differences and features of the animal world of North America that characterize the fauna of the continent.

Animals of South America

Giant anteater

The fauna of South America includes hundreds of thousands of species. This is due to the fact that the continent has different natural and climatic zones - from glaciers to deserts. Many representatives of the continent's fauna are endemic and are not found anywhere else in the world.

The role of the animal world

The importance of fauna in human life and nature is truly enormous. It's hard to imagine a world without animals. From dogs and cats to bees and butterflies, the Animal Kingdom contains millions of species. Even people belong to this group. The life of every living thing depends on some factors, and since animals form such a large group, their importance seems invaluable.

Ecological significance

Every form of life plays an important role on Earth. For example, carnivores are a natural way of controlling the herbivore population in and. If there were no predators, then the population of these artiodactyls could grow so much that they would destroy a significant area of ​​forests and grasslands in an attempt to feed themselves. In the same way, scavengers clear the ground of decaying carcasses.

Economic significance

The silkworm is a phylum of arthropods in the Animal Kingdom. Silkworm silk (and in some cases man-made fibers) supports the silk industry, which has an annual commercial value of $200-500 million. The dairy, wool, leather and fishing industries not only provide employment to millions of people, but also satisfy a number of human needs.

The nutritional value

Meat is an important source of proteins, which are the building blocks of the cells of our body. Cow's milk stands important source proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins and minerals such as calcium, potassium and magnesium. Honey produced by bees not only has a pleasant taste, but also high nutritional value. It contains 80% carbohydrates, less than 20% water, and the rest consists of vitamins, minerals and trace elements.

Pollinators

Bees, bats and birds are important pollinators, responsible for pollinating approximately 35% of the crops that provide human food. Without these pollinators, the world's population would face severe food shortages.

Other uses

Medical research is one area in which animals play an important role. Dogs, monkeys and mice have been used as animal models in the discovery of insulin, polio and rabies vaccines. Cosmetics are also tested on certain animals before they are put on the market. This use of animals in research may seem cruel. However, animals have played an important role in the development of medicines and treatments for humans, and steps are being taken to stop deliberate cruelty towards our little brothers. Some animals also act as companions for people with disabilities. Dogs are high on the list of service animals for the blind, elderly, and physically challenged.

Wildlife protection

Animals in danger

About 100 years ago, most of the planet was inhabited by animals that had no contact with humans at all. However, with the development of technology and the ever-increasing need for materials such as wood, there are now few areas in the world that are inaccessible to people. Due to the expansion of the human population, they are disappearing as natural habitats habitats of many animals, as well as representatives of wildlife themselves. This problem has devastating consequences and many species of fauna are forced to rely on human help to survive. The human introduction of certain animal species into remote areas has a huge impact on the environment. In many parts of the world, the introduction of domestic animals such as cats, dogs and goats has a detrimental effect on local flora and fauna.

IUCN Red List

International Union for Conservation of Nature and natural resources(IUCN) was founded by the UN in the 1940s to monitor the condition of all living organisms on Earth. Part of his work is to compile the Red List of Threatened Species, which draws on information submitted by thousands of scientists from around the world. Today, the Red List shows that endangered species are often found in the same corner of the world. Areas of Southeast Asia, East Africa and South America suffered the most due to uncontrolled, which led to a decline in the population of numerous species of fauna.

Animal protection

Many species of animals around the world are subject to serious trapping and hunting. Governments are encouraged to engage in campaigns to ban hunting of certain species. Long drift nets have been used for mass fishing in the open ocean, but have resulted in the deaths of many other animals, including sea turtles, whales, seals and dolphins. To prevent this from happening, the United Nations has now banned the dumping of these nets into the ocean. In order to discourage the poaching of endangered animals (usually for their body parts), laws are now in place to prohibit the trade. Body parts of endangered animals such as tigers, Sea Horses etc., are found in traditional medicine markets in the eastern countries of the world.

Habitat protection

Animals depend on their natural habitats for survival, including finding enough food and... The best way to preserve the world's fauna is to protect habitats, as many animals today are becoming extinct due to habitat loss, including deforestation in forests, and climate change leading to melting ice in the polar regions. A number of areas of jungle, wetlands and coastal areas have been designated as nature reserves to try to protect the species that live there.

Breeding in captivity

Captive breeding can be an effective way to restore endangered populations. Although breeding can be successful, it is not the best way to conserve certain species as it requires significant human resources. For breeding to be effective, it must occur naturally, without the direct help of people.

Call for help for animals

One of the biggest problems with conservation is that it is economically expensive. Many people are not interested in donating their money to something that does not bring immediate results. However, in many countries around the world, more and more people are starting to take care of animals from various organizations, but unfortunately, not all species are able to generate positive emotions, so some representatives of the fauna end up receiving less help than others.

CITES

The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) was created to control the movement of species and their parts across international borders. CITES has been signed by more than 120 countries and completely prohibits trade in many animals and plants.

Yatsinyak Natalya
Presentation game “In the world of animals”

The presentation game presents game material on the formation of the lexical and grammatical structure of speech within the framework of lexical topic "Wild animals» . It forms lexical and grammatical categories, consolidates the material covered and generalizes the knowledge gained on this topic.

Game control:

A game formatted as a presentation.

Slide 2 is the main one, the rest of the slides work with a mouse click.

We chose a position, guessed it, and clicked on the picture to return to the main 2nd slide. The number of the guessed position will turn a different color and it will be clear that you have already played this question.

Children answer questions, which encourages them to speak actively. There are 5 blocks in the game, each block contains 5 questions. Each question is worth a selected point. At the end of the game, points are tallied and the winner is determined.

Electronic a game forms and reinforces speech material in a fun way, and also solves the problems of the child’s cognitive development as a whole.

Practical significance:

Improves the grammatical structure of speech (formation of possessive adjectives from nouns, use of prepositions in speech).

Activates and expands vocabulary on the topic "Wild animals» .

Stimulates children's speech activity.

The target audience:

Developed a game- the presentation can be used by teachers of a preschool institution to consolidate speech skills in older preschoolers with ODD.

Publications on the topic:

Lesson summary “In the world of pets”"In the world of pets." Group: Second youngest. Form of implementation: Travel. Goal: Creating conditions for consolidating children's knowledge.

2017 has been declared the year of ecology in Russia. I present to your attention didactic game"In the animal world". Purpose of the game: to develop children's skills.

A laptop is a lap book. Lep - knees, beech - book. My laptop is accessible to children as it is compact and fits easily.

Abstract open class in the preparatory group “In the Animal World” Development of speech and environmental concepts. OBJECTIVES: Educational:.

Long-term plan for the project “In the Animal World” Long-term plan for the project “In the Animal World” Areas of work Joint activities between teachers and children Play activity 1. Role-playing.

Presentation for preschool children “In the animal world” Presentation for children preschool age“In the world of animals” Author Olga Anatolyevna Zhizhina, teacher of the Aleksinskaya Secondary School.

Animal world

General characteristics. The composition of the fauna of Russia shows all the characteristic features of the fauna of temperate and cold zones Northern Hemisphere. The distribution of animals, their species diversity, numbers and ecological connections are determined primarily by latitudinal zoning, which is especially well expressed over vast areas of the country. At the same time, many parameters of the animal world differ significantly in physical-geographical sectors, countries and regions (East European Plain, Caucasus, Urals, Western and Eastern Siberia, Altai, Baikal region, northeast Asia, seas of the Arctic Ocean basin). The structure of the fauna also reflects its very complex history, diverse sources and formation paths.

Representatives of the fauna of the Arctic Ocean basin and high-latitude islands: 1 - narwhal; 2 - beluga whale; 3 - walrus; 4 - bearded seal (sea hare); 5 - polar bear...

Typical representatives of the animal world of the tundra zone: 1 - bean goose; 2 - small swan; 3 - black-throated loon; 4 - white-billed loon; 5 - spectacled eider; 6 - white-fronted...

Typical inhabitants of the highlands: 1 - bighorn sheep; 2 - argali; 3 - Caucasian tour; 4 - bezoar goat; 5 - snow leopard (irbis); 6 - sailing ship Phoebus; 7 - yellow...

Typical representatives of the animal world of the taiga zone: 1 - sable; 2 - waxwing; 3 - common bullfinch; 4 - elk (elk); 5 - common flying squirrel; 6 - lynx; 7 &nd...

Typical representatives of the fauna of the deciduous forest zone of the European part of Russia: 1 - bison; 2 - European roe deer; 3 - wood mouse; 4 - yellow-necked mouse; 5 &ndash...

Typical representatives of the fauna of the steppe and semi-desert: 1 - long-eared hedgehog; 2 - Daurian pika; 3 - common hamster; 4 - bustard; 5 - auto shot; 6 - ordinary garden...

Representatives of the animal world of the Far East (Amur and Primorye): 1 - tiger; 2 - raccoon dog; 3 - black (white-breasted) bear; 4 - Far Eastern (Bengal) cat; ...

Inhabitants of the coasts and waters of the Far Eastern seas of Russia: 1 - northern fur seal; 2 - mortar; 3 - Bering cormorant; 4 - sea lion; 5 - fulmar; 6 - large auklet...

Representatives of the fauna of the southern seas of the European part of Russia: 1 - Caspian lamprey; 2 - Caspian seal; 3 - katran ( spiny shark); 4 - saberfish; 5 - black...

Species diversity. At the beginning of the 21st century. in the fauna of Russia there are approx. 100 thousand species of animals; their actual number is greater, since a number of taxa have not yet been sufficiently studied. Along with rough estimates of the diversity of some groups, e.g. roundworms, the number of species of mammals and birds is counted to the nearest unit.

The reasons for the large species diversity and high level The endemism of the fauna of the Far East is determined by the specific features of landscape and climatic conditions, as well as the most complex processes of fauna formation. Its high diversity is demonstrated by many groups of animals. Thus, the genus of Pacific salmon is represented in the Far East by 6 species ( pink salmon , chum salmon , coho salmon , red salmon , sima , Chinook salmon), the genus of loaches – 11 species. In the European part of Russia there is only one native species from the order Catfish (common catfish); from the Ob to Baikal there are no representatives of this order, but in the Amur basin there are representatives of 7 species from 4 genera (Amur catfish and 6 species of the killer whale family). A similar picture is demonstrated by bivalve mollusks of the family of freshwater pearl mussels: in the European part of Russia there is one species, the European pearl mussel, and in the Amur and Primorye regions there are 4 species. Pearl mussels, similar to pearl mussels (from the genus Middendorff's pearl mussels), are represented in the Far East by a dozen species that are relicts of bygone eras, when this territory was inhabited by representatives of a rich subtropical fauna. At the same time, earthworms in Primorye are represented by a small number of widespread species, while a number of characteristic endemics live in the south of Siberia and the Urals.

Zoogeographical zoning of Russia. In accordance with the principles of classical zoogeography, the territory of Russia belongs to the Palaearctic (called a region, sometimes a subregion), which is part of the Holarctic (its second part is the Nearctic, corresponding to the territory of North America). The boundary between the Palaearctic and Nearctic in the Bering Sea region is very arbitrary: according to many faunal characteristics, Alaska is united with the northeast of Eurasia into a single zoogeographic category - Beringia. During periods of drainage of the Bering Strait, it played the role of a bridge through which intensive exchanges of species took place between Asia and America. For example, the brown bear, having appeared in the western part of Eurasia in the early Pleistocene, quickly populated its territory and penetrated into America. Man also crossed over to the American continent through Beringia. Close faunogenetic connections between northeast Asia and northwest America are also reflected in the distribution of modern species. Many species live on both sides of the Bering Strait (for example, dalliya, or blackfish, white goose, ruby-throated sandpiper). The ranges of some animals of the Beringian complex extend to Central Siberia.

The most important zoogeographical boundary runs along the Yenisei; it separates the European-Siberian and East Siberian subregions of the Palearctic. The first is characterized by species with a European type of habitat, distributed on the Russian Plain and the Caucasus, east to the Urals, the upper reaches of the Ob, even to the Yenisei (these include the common sculpin, crested newt, grass frog, copperhead, green woodpecker, goldfinch, European mink , marten, brown hare). For the second, species with ranges covering most of Siberia (west to the Ob, Altai, sometimes beyond the Urals) and adjacent areas of Mongolia; typical representatives are Siberian grayling, Siberian frog, stone capercaillie, speakers , musk deer and etc.

In the southwest of Russia they draw the border of the Mediterranean subregion of the Palaearctic, which covers the southern part of Europe and northern Africa. Species characteristic of it are quite well represented in the Caucasus, extending into Central Asia and up to Altai, some into the southern part of the Russian Plain. Among the representatives of this complex in the Russian fauna are the red-crested teal, the black-bellied sandgrouse, the red kite, the common nightjar, the golden bee-eater, and the insects - the clay bumblebee, the giant scolius.

The territories of the Amur region and Primorye belong to a special subregion of the Palaearctic, which is variously called by zoogeographers (Palaearctic, Himalayan-Chinese, East Asian), or to the Oriental region (also called Sino-Indian). Characteristic representatives of this zoogeographical complex in the fauna of Russia: the largest marten, the kharza, the white-breasted, or black, bear; of birds - white-naped crane, fish owl, needle-tailed swift, Japanese flycatcher, tiger shrike; many species of Amur ichthyofauna: Far Eastern minnows, Amur white bream, yellow-cheeked , snakehead, Chinese perch, or aukha, etc. The fauna of this subregion is a peculiar mixture of animals of the harsh taiga and lush subtropics.

The basis for zoogeographic zoning is faunistic and taxonomic research, which is headed by the Russian Academy of Sciences. It contains the richest unique collection funds, which serve as reference material for the description and inventory of the species diversity of the fauna of our country.

General features of latitudinal changes in the animal world

Global latitudinal changes in fauna structure. The main feature of the animal world of Russia is sharp latitudinal changes from the southern borders to the polar territories and water areas, which is primarily due to temperature conditions. So, the number of bird species in the so-called. specific faunas (over an area of ​​approximately 20 km 2) in the territory Western Siberia from the forest-steppe to the polar desert it decreases from 120 to 10. The fauna of the central part of the Arctic Ocean basin (north of 80° N), where approximately 1 thousand species of animals live (in the entire Arctic there are about 15 thousand species, i.e. 1% of the world's fauna).

The composition of the fauna of Russia reflects a number of general trends global changes structures of the organic world depending on latitude zones. In particular, compared to the tropical and subtropical zones, the share of the largest type, arthropods, decreases here (in the tropics they account for more than 80% of animal species, in middle lane Russia – 77%, in the Arctic – 55%; for insects these figures are 75, 70 and 30%, respectively). At the same time, the share of such types as roundworms and annelids is increasing (the latter constitute less than 1% in the world fauna, 2% in the entire fauna of Russia, and 8% in the Arctic). These ratios reflect a general biogeographical pattern: the more severe the climate, the lower the adaptive capabilities of the most progressive and species-rich groups of organisms; relatively primitive ones in extreme conditions come out on top in terms of diversity and specific gravity in the biota. So at the beginning of the 21st century, from the order Cyprinidae, which includes approx. 1870 species, 104 species live in Russia, mainly in the southern and middle parts of the country ( chub , silver bream , asp , crucian carp , rudd , bream , tench , minnows , roach , podust , bleak , saberfish , ide and etc.). Only a few species, such as minnows and dace, enter the Arctic. A small order of salmonids (about 250 species in total), characterized by some signs of primitiveness, including fresh waters Russia is represented by approximately 46 species ( salmon , loaches , whitefish , smelts , grayling and etc.). They dominate the ichthyofauna of the northern taiga and tundra, and in the northern part of the latter they remain the only representatives of freshwater fish. At the same time, salmonids, like cyprinids, form a wide range of life forms (active predators, consumers of benthos, plankton, etc.). In other words, salmonids “replace” cyprinids in high-latitude ecosystems. Similar phenomena can be observed in the class of birds. His most progressive squad passeriformes dominates among birds from the tropics to the boreal forest belt; its share in the avifauna of Russia decreases from 60% to deciduous forests up to 15% in the Arctic, where the order Charadriiformes ( waders , seagulls , guillemots), belonging to the more ancient phylogenetic lines of the class.

Features of the distribution of zoomass and diversity of life forms with latitudinal changes in the structure of the fauna. Not only the fauna is subject to regular latitudinal changes, but also the animal population (the union of all individuals of one or many species of animals within a territory), communities of the same species, united by a single living space. On the territory of Russia, especially on the Russian Plain with its strictly defined natural zonality, the characteristics of the animal population correlate with such climatic parameters as average temperature himself warm month, average annual temperature, moisture coefficient, dryness index, etc. Species richness, zoomass, and diversity of life forms increase from the Arctic to deciduous forests and forest-steppe. To the south, in steppe and semi-desert landscapes, most of these indicators decrease again. Latitudinal changes in the total mass of animals on the East European Plain are described by the following series of approximate figures ( wet weight, kg/ha): tundra - 80, coniferous forests - 300, deciduous forests - up to 1 thousand, meadow steppes - 300, typical steppes - 150, semi-deserts - 50. In all landscapes of the cold and temperate zones the basis of zoomass (sometimes up to 90 %) are soil animals, especially earthworms. The mass of vertebrates is relatively small: in meadow steppes and oak forests it is approximately 1% of the total zoomass, in mixed forests and taiga 2–4%, in the tundra up to 5%. The mass of mammals and birds in European forest-steppe oak forests reaches 12 kg/ha, and in the steppe – 4 kg/ha. However, before economic development in the steppes of the Russian Plain, where many ungulates, marmots, and large birds were found, their total mass was at least 20 kg/ha.

Phytophages, both invertebrates and vertebrates, are especially diverse in the steppe, forest-steppe and deciduous forests. In northern natural zones, populations of certain species can be very high, which often have a huge impact on the vegetation cover. On the European territory of Russia there are approx. 1.5 thousand species of insects and mites that damage trees and shrubs. Outbreaks of mass reproduction of some of them can lead to significant damage or even death of forest plantations on large areas. Especially dangerous pests Russian coniferous forests are Siberian silkworm, gray larch leaf roller, large and small spruce longhorned beetles (see Lumberjacks), typograph bark beetle; deciduous trees are damaged gypsy moth, oak plantations - green oak budworm, etc. The diversity of agricultural pests, numbering more than 5 thousand species (half of them are Lepidoptera and Coleoptera), is also subject to sharp zonal changes. Many species spread to the north following cultivated plants, but their diversity and harmfulness are greatest in the southern and especially in the arid regions of the country.

Features of marine fauna. The shores of Russia are washed by 12 seas and one lake-sea, and in the general structure of its fauna there is a large proportion of marine animals, including sponges, bryozoans, echinoderms, polychaete worms, various mollusks, crustaceans, bony fishes, etc. marine species account for at least 20% (approx. 20 thousand) of the entire fauna of Russia. The richest fauna Sea of ​​Japan, including many representatives of the animal world of the subtropics and tropics. Approx. found here. 700 species of fish, while in the Sea of ​​Okhotsk located slightly to the north - approx. 400 species, in the Barents Sea - approx. 200, in the Kara Sea - 60, in the Chukchi Sea - 50 species. At the same time, the Arctic basin accounts for more than half of all species of annelids and crustaceans living in Russia, half of sponges and bryozoans, approx. 40% echinoderms, 25% sea ​​mollusks, approximately 15% of fish species, etc. In total, the fauna of the seas of the Russian sector of the Arctic Ocean basin contains up to 6 thousand species of animals. At the same time, there are more than 3.5 thousand species in the Barents Sea, which is due to the influence of the warm Gulf Stream current. To the east, species richness decreases (with some increase near the coast Chukotka Peninsula): in the Kara Sea - more than 2 thousand species, in the Laptev Sea - approx. 1.7 thousand, in the East Siberian Sea - 1.2 thousand, in the Chukchi Sea - 1.5 thousand species. The White Sea, despite its more southern location, is home to a number of typical Arctic species. It is similar to the Kara Sea in terms of the total richness of fauna, but differs significantly in species composition. Due to low salinity, the fauna of the Baltic Sea is greatly depleted, however, species of Arctic origin are also found there.

The fauna of the Black and Azov Seas is in many ways similar to the Mediterranean, although three times poorer due to the low salinity of the water and less favorable climatic conditions. The coastal lagoons of the Black and Azov Seas are inhabited by many animals that also live in the Caspian Sea, including descendants of the so-called. Sarmatian (Upper Miocene) fauna. In general, the fauna of this lake-sea is poorer than the Black Sea, but includes a number of characteristic and endemic species, such as the Berg goby and the Caspian seal.

Multizonal species of animals. The diversity of climatic conditions, vast territories and marine areas determine a wide range of options for the landscape distribution of animals. A number of species belong to the category of polyzonal, i.e., living in several natural zones. Such are the wolves, common fox, ermine, hare (hare), pintail , owl , crow, common cuckoo, white wagtail, burbot. There are also real cosmopolitans, common in all or almost all natural belts; of the birds this is the peregrine falcon, short-eared owl , moorhen, among aquatic mammals - the blue whale and the largest dolphin - the killer whale.

Animal species with typical zonal distribution. The most typical species for the animal world of our country are those with a typical zonal distribution; their life is connected mainly with a certain natural zone (or even with its subzone). Species with the highest latitude (hyperarctic) ranges include the polar bear, the narwhal, which is adapted to life among drifting ice, and the ivory gull, which nests on the islands of the zone arctic deserts, cod, or arctic cod. Typical Arctic species proper (evarcts) – arctic fox , hoofed lemming , brent goose, combed eider, tules sandpiper - most typical for the northern subzones of the tundra. The ranges of hypoarctic species (Middendorff's voles, lesser white-fronted goose, etc.) mainly correspond to the boundaries of the southern tundra and forest-tundra. Many animal species are widespread both in the Arctic and in the northern temperate zone (arcto-boreal species). These include the ringed seal, reindeer , white partridge, a number of the most valuable commercial fish ( muksun , cheer, common whitefish). Ranges of typical boreal species ( wolverine , hawk owl , Kuksha, three-toed woodpecker, waxwing) correspond mainly to the borders of the taiga. Typical inhabitants of deciduous forests (nemoral species) are garden dormouse, legless spindle lizard, and stag beetle.

Due to the plowing of the steppes, their zonal boundaries correspond to the modern ranges of a few species. Typical steppe species include the mole rat, steppe kestrel, demoiselle crane, steppe viper, many insects (for example, a number of species of locusts, among grasshoppers - the steppe viper, a relict of the rich fauna of the Black Sea steppes, the steppe viper, etc.). Within the same genus, clear differences in the zonal distribution of species are often observed. An example of this would be bustard birds: The bustard's habitat formerly covered forest-steppe, steppe, and semi-desert; the little bustard is more closely associated with the steppe; the bustard is typical of semi-desert and desert. Different types of the same genus can be delimited in both zonal and regional distribution, as exemplified by ground squirrels. The speckled ground squirrel is characteristic of the forest-steppe and steppe (up to the Volga), the large one is common in the Volga region, the small one is a typical inhabitant of dry steppes and semi-deserts of the Caspian lowland, the mountain Caucasian ground squirrel inhabits the steppes, subalpine and alpine meadows Caucasus, Daurian - the dry steppes of Transbaikalia, Beringian has adapted to the harsh conditions of northeast Asia.

A significant place in the domestic fauna is occupied by the inhabitants of sea coasts with characteristic “ribbon” habitats crossing several natural zones. Such are the slender-billed guillemot and the Bering cormorant, nesting from Wrangel Island to Sakhalin, and the kittiwake gull - on the coasts of the Arctic and Pacific seas. Steller sea lion and northern fur seal rookeries are located on the Pacific coast from the Gulf of Anadyr to Sakhalin.

Within species ranges, taxonomists distinguish geographically delimited subspecies. In the common squirrel, approx. 20 subspecies (among them the teleduck squirrel with tall and thick fur); for the sable - 17 (the most valuable is the Barguzin sable), for the white hare - 10, for the brown bear - 7. Wapiti and maral are widely known - subspecies of red deer; the first lives in Eastern Siberia and the Far East, the second in the mountains of Southern Siberia. Subspecies serve as model objects in the study of speciation processes. Particularly interesting are those clearly limited by natural barriers, for example, the Volkhov whitefish, Novaya Zemlya reindeer, and Putorana bighorn sheep listed in the Red Book.

On the territory of Russia, which occupies most of the north of Eurasia, one of the most interesting and complex biogeographical phenomena is clearly manifested - gaps (disjunctions) of areas, their division into western, mainly European, and eastern, Asian parts. The result of this may be the formation of different subspecies or independent species. Typical examples of species disjunctions are the broken habitats of the common hedgehog, bitterling carp fish, and ringed silkworm: their European part extends to the Urals, and their Asian part extends from Transbaikalia or the Amur region to Primorye.

In the western and eastern sectors of Russia there is also mutual substitution of independent related species. The ranges of closely related species of pigeons - the common dove with a European range and the great dove, common in the Asian part of the country - are generally delimited, but still touch in the lower reaches of the Ob. The common pike inhabits water bodies from the western borders to Chukotka, but is absent from the Amur basin and Primorye, where it is replaced by the Amur pike. The ranges of some closely related species are separated by vast distances. Thus, the common and Chinese greenfinches are separated by the spaces of Western and Central Siberia and the Baikal region. Another example is the largest sturgeon fish: beluga is common in the basins of the Caspian, Black and Azov seas, and its related kaluga is found in the Amur basin. A more complex case of separation of species ranges: the carrion crow lives from the Pacific coast to the Yenisei, as well as in Western Europe, and between these territories the range of the hooded crow is located. Similar phenomena are observed among the inhabitants of the seas. Thus, ocean herring are common in Russian waters in both the Atlantic and Pacific sectors, where they are represented by forms that some authors consider to be subspecies, while others consider them to be independent species. There is also a change in several species of the same genus in different parts countries (for example, Russian, Siberian, Amur and Sakhalin sturgeon). Analysis of this nature of species distribution is very important for understanding the processes of speciation and underlies zoogeographic zoning.

Reduction and restoration of habitats. In the 20th century The ranges of many species of Russian fauna have decreased. This applies not only to game animals or collectibles. The destruction or severe change of habitats (biotopes) plays a major role. Some species that had large habitats in the past have now disappeared completely or are preserved in small areas and water areas. Thus, the bison is the largest land animal of our fauna, a descendant of the larger primitive bison that lived on the territory of our country, probably ca. 10 thousand years ago, now preserved only in nature reserves and zoos. Another almost extinct species is the Atlantic sturgeon, whose range once covered the basins of all European seas. The ranges of many species, such as the curlew, are shrinking due to the draining of marshes. Dams can limit the distribution of migratory fish and fish-like species, such as Caspian lamprey, stellate sturgeon, and Russian sturgeon.

In descriptions of the animal world, the concept of “restored range” (the area of ​​both the present and past distribution of a species) is often used. Habitats can indeed be restored - either naturally or as a result of special events, as in the case of habitat restoration river beaver. In the past, it inhabited the entire territory of Russia, except the Arctic. In the 1930s small scattered settlements have survived (less than 1000 animals in total). The protection of the surviving livestock and artificial resettlement led to an increase in the number of beavers to 200 thousand heads and an expansion of the inhabited territory. In the beginning. 21st century One of the reasons for the increase in population numbers and the restoration of previously reduced habitats of wild animals in Russia was the decline Agriculture, a sharp decrease in the areas of crops and pastures.

Introduction, reintroduction, acclimatization of animals. Artificial replenishment of Russia's fauna has long been practiced. Many of these experiments are considered more or less successful from the point of view of the interests of the fishing industry. Thus, the fauna of Russia firmly includes species introduced in the 1930s. from the New World, and then widely settled - muskrat, American mink. Several attempts have been made to acclimatize American fish as possible objects of pond fish farming, including in the cooling ponds of state district power plants and nuclear power plants (channel catfish). Since the 1970s Three species of American carp fish are artificially bred - buffalo, which inhabit the rivers of the Volga and Kuban basins. A representative of the Amur ichthyofauna, the silver carp, has been introduced into the water bodies of the European part of Russia. As a result of artificial resettlement, which began in 1929, the area raccoon dog, which previously lived in Russia only in the Primorsky Territory, now covers the forest areas of the European part. Acclimatization in the 1960s is considered justified. representative of the fauna of the Far Eastern seas, Kamchatka crab and pink salmon in the Barents Sea. The reintroduction (on Wrangel Island and the Taimyr Peninsula) of the musk ox, which once lived in the north of Siberia, began successfully in 1974.

Foreign species are also imported to combat pests or pathogens. So, in the 1920s. To combat the larvae of malaria mosquitoes, the American fish Gambusia was widely distributed. Experiments continue on the acclimatization of herbivorous insects (including the ragweed leaf beetle) in the southern regions of Russia to combat the malicious weed ragweed. In order to expand the food supply sturgeon fish The polychaete worm Nereis was introduced into the Caspian Sea from the Sea of ​​Azov. The consequences of introduction experiments in some cases may not be entirely successful. Thus, the raccoon dog in some places harms hunting areas and is a carrier of rabies. Therefore, such events require serious environmental justification.

Ecological invasions, biological pollution, bioinvasions. In Russia, there are increasingly cases of expansion of species ranges with clearly negative consequences for ecosystems and humans. The reasons for their mass reproduction are the absence of biocenotic mechanisms for population regulation in new areas. The catastrophic results of the spread are well known Colorado potato beetle. The rotan firebrand is a representative of the ichthyofauna of Southeast Asia, introduced by aquarists and settled in shallow reservoirs of the East European Plain, intensively exterminating and displacing native fish species. Expands its range bivalve zebra mussel, causing great harm hydraulic structures, which grow in huge masses. The real disaster for the ecosystems of the Black Sea was the appearance in the beginning. 1980s ctenophore mnemiopsis, brought from the Atlantic Ocean with the ballast waters of ships. The consequences of its intensive reproduction were a sharp decrease in the number and depletion of the species composition of zooplankton, which serves as food for many animals, including fish. Only the appearance in 1997 and the beginning of mass reproduction in the Black Sea waters of another predatory ctenophore, Beroe, natural enemy mnemiopsis, allows us to hope for a decrease in the number of the latter. In the beginning. In the 2000s, there were more than 500 alien introduced species on the territory of Russia, more than half of which were insects. The problem of biological pollution is becoming the most important in the field of conservation and restoration of Russia's biodiversity; it is widely discussed at the international and national levels.

Synanthropization of the animal world. Since prehistoric times, the formation of a complex of synanthropic animals has been taking place - human cohabitants, inhabitants of dwellings, and territories of populated areas. The connection between such animals and humans intensifies as they move north. Among the most important synanthropic rodents - the house mouse and the gray rat (pasyuk) - populations of three types can be distinguished: northern (rodents live in dwellings all year round); transitional (in summer, some animals inhabit natural biotopes and return to buildings in the winter); southern (a significant part of the population is constantly outside human habitations), which is typical for the south of the European part and Primorye. The same pattern is evident in the distribution of synanthropic flies and birds. The processes of urbanization of the animal world are intensifying - the development of many types of territories of modern cities. Sedentary or seasonal populations of many bird species are formed here, including corvids, waterfowl, gulls, diurnal raptors, owls, small passerines, herons, etc. Thus, hawks (sparrowhawk and goshawk), hobby falcon, and several species of owls have become common in Moscow. , long-eared owl), white-backed woodpecker, grosbeak, goldeneye duck. Rapidly growing urban populations of hooded crows demonstrate astonishing ecological plasticity and a range of subtle behavioral adaptations to life in the city. The connection with populated areas of many passerine species is increasing, for example, the blackbird, previously rare in central Russia, is now common in parks and on the outskirts of cities. IN last years The attention of zoologists is attracted by frequent cases of wolf synanthropism and complex forms of its behavior.

Some synanthropic insects create serious problems for humans; such as potential carriers of infections - the housefly and culex mosquitoes originating from the tropics (especially the squeak mosquito), clothes moths, coat moths and grain moths, the red cockroach, or the Russian cockroach, which entered Russia from South Asia through Europe, the less common black and sporadically occurring American cockroaches, rapidly spreading pharaoh ant- an alien from Tropical America. Among synanthropic arachnids, in addition to the harmless house spider, mites that live in house dust and cause allergic diseases are attracting more and more attention. For example, 39 species of such mites were found in Moscow, among which the most common are representatives of the pyroglyphid family. The direct allergens are mites shed during molting, the number of which reaches 500 individuals per 1 g of dust.

One of the centers of formation of synanthropic populations of animals is landfills, which are sometimes populated by tropical and subtropical species of soil fauna, which is due to elevated temperature soil due to rotting processes. Greenhouses and greenhouses serve as habitats for southern invertebrate species. Transport, especially water, plays a major role in the distribution of synanthropic species.

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GBOU TsO No. 1486 Project work Animal world

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Purpose of the work The subject of research in my work is animals, their development and their young. Save the animal world from enemies of nature.

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What is Animal World? The animal world is a world ruled by animals. Currently, a huge number of both adults and children are very interested in life and habits!

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Getting to know cats. Felines live all over the world. The largest representatives include 1. Tigers 2. Lions 3. Jaguars 4. Leopards 5. Snow leopards 6. Pumas 7. Cheetahs.

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Who is taller? Felines can be very tall. The tiger is the tallest! 1. Tigers = 100 – 120 cm 2. Pumas = 65 – 80 cm 3. Lynx (red) = 40 – 60 cm 4. Domestic cat = 25 – 35 cm

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White tigers. The birth of albinos occurs almost everywhere and tigers are no exception. White fur and red eyes are caused by a small amount of pigment, which is responsible for color. Many albinos are found among rabbits, mice and rats.

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Platypuses. Platypuses don't just look funny, they are simply a treasure trove of interesting features and exceptions to the general rules of animals.

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Platypuses. These small animals are the only mammals that have developed electroreception, i.e. the ability to perceive electrical signals from the environment. For example, under water, platypuses have neither hearing, nor vision, nor smell, but their electroreceptors

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Saber-toothed tigers Life on Earth is constantly changing. The ancient giants, dinosaurs, and the huge, shaggy mammoths went extinct. The cat family has also undergone significant changes over the long centuries on our planet. Let's take a step back in time to see a cat that will give you goosebumps. Who is this? The legendary saber-tooth tiger.

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Saber-toothed tigers Saber-toothed tiger, or, in Latin, mahairod, is a genus of extinct mammals of the cat family, the distinctive feature of which was the impressive upper fangs that stuck out menacingly, even when the beast's mouth was closed.

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Prehistoric times Giant bones, sometimes found in the ground, were considered in antiquity to be the remains of heroes from the era of the Trojan War, in the Middle Ages and until the 19th century. - the remains of the giants mentioned in the Bible and who died during the global flood; in the Far East they were considered dragon bones and were credited with healing properties.

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Dinosaurs The discovery of a well-preserved hadrosaur skeleton in the United States in 1858 overturned the idea of ​​dinosaurs as four-legged animals, showing that dinosaurs could walk on two legs.

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Order Callopods Order Callopods Until recently, these animals were considered artiodactyls, but recent research has shown that callosopods are so unique that they should be distinguished in a separate order.