KEY CONCEPT Animals are diverse but share common characteristics.
Animals are the most physically diverse kingdom of organisms. Animals range in size from 25-meter-long blue whales to microscopic rotifers. Animals are found nearly everywhere on Earth.
All animals share a set of characteristics. All animals share a unique set of derived characters. Animal cells are supported by collagen. three-stranded protein found in bone, skin, ligaments, fingernails, and hair
Animals are diploid and usually reproduce sexually. diploid parents produce diploid offspring do not have free-living haploid life stages Diploid cells have two copies of each chromosome: one copy from the mother and one from the father
Most animals have Hox genes. Homeotic genes control early development. Hox genes (a group of homeotic genes) define the head-to-tail pattern of development in animal embryos. A Hox gene mutation leads to the development of a body structure in the wrong position.
Animal Characteristics Children’s Book