Amphibians A class of cold-blooded, vertebrate animals that return to water to breed. Young amphibians are aquatic and breathe using gills. Most adults develop lungs.

Animal A living thing that can sense its surroundings and move independently around its environment. It has a body made of many microscopic cells and gets its energy and nutrients by eating other living things, such as plants, fungus, bacteria or other animals. There are more animal species in the world than any other type of living thing. Around two million are known to us, though scientists estimate there are up to 30 million species yet to be discovered. The study of animals is called zoology.

Aquatic An animal that spends much of its life in water.

Arachnids A class of arthropods that have eight legs. Arachnids include spiders, scorpions and mites. They feed by piercing their prey with their sharp fangs, paralyzing or killing them with their venom. Their saliva turns the body tissues into liquid that can then be sucked up.

Arboreal animals Animals that live in the branches of trees.

Arthropods Invertebrate animals such as insects, arachnids, myriapods and crustaceans that have jointed legs and a hard external skeleton, called an exoskeleton. This is made of a light, strong material called chitin, which supports and protects the animal’s body. As an arthropod grows, it moults its exoskeleton and grows a new one.

Birds Warm-blooded, vertebrate animals with four limbs, the front two of which are adapted into wings. Birds have a toothless beak and a covering of feathers.

Browsers Animals that feed on leaves and twigs from trees and bushes. Browsers include goats and giraffes.

Camouflage The means by which an animal can escape the notice of predators or prey by using the colours or patterns of its body to blend into its surroundings.

Carnivore An animal that feeds on other animals.

Carrion The remains of dead animals.

Cnidarians A group of jelly-like invertebrates with stinging cells. Cnidarians include jellyfish, coral polyps and sea anemones.

Cold-blooded Animals that are cold-blooded are only ever the same temperature as their surroundings. They depend on heat from the sun in order to have enough warmth and energy to move about.

Colony A group of one species of animal living together.

Crustaceans A group of arthropods that have jointed limbs and two pairs of sense receptors called antennae on their heads. Crustaceans include crabs, lobsters, shrimp and woodlice.

Echinoderms Marine invertebrates with spiny skin and skeletons made of chalky calcium plates. Echinoderms include starfish, sea urchins and sea cucumbers.

Fish Cold-blooded, vertebrate animals that live in water and breathe using gills. There are two main groups of fish: cartilaginous fish, such as sharks and rays; and bony fish.

Genus A group of very similar species. For example, the genus Panthera contains four species of animal: the lion, the tiger, the jaguar and the leopard.

Grazer An animal that feeds on grasses. Grazers include sheep and cows.

Herbivore An animal that feeds only on plant material.

Hibernation The process whereby some animals spend the winter in a state of reduced activity. Breathing and other body systems slow down, conserving energy. Animals such as dormice and some frogs, snakes and tortoises hibernate.

Insects Arthropods that have six legs and a body divided into three sections or segments: the head, thorax and abdomen. Insects have a pair of long sense receptors on their heads, called antennae. Flying insects have either one or two pairs of wings.

Invertebrates Animals without backbones. They include insects, arachnids, myriapods, worms, crustaceans, echinoderms, molluscs, sponges, cnidarians and comb jellies.

Mammals A class of vertebrate, warm-blooded animals that mostly give birth to live young and feed them with milk. Most mammals have four limbs and a covering of fur, although sea mammals, such as seals, whales and dolphins, have little or no hair and some have lost their back two limbs.

Mammary gland An organ found on female mammals. It produces nutritious milk for their young after they are born. As the young suckle (feed on milk) they grow larger and stronger without wasting energy searching for their own food.

Metamorphosis The process whereby an animal changes its body structure and behaviour between the larval stages and the adult stages of its life. In some animals, this involves a period of pupation.

Migration The movement of a group of animals from one place to another at a certain time of the year. Migration takes place in order to breed or feed.

Molluscs A group of invertebrates with soft bodies, often protected by hard shells. The main groups of molluscs are gastropods (snails and slugs), bivalves and cephalopods (squid and octopus).

Myriapods A group of arthropods that includes centipedes and millipedes. Myriapods have long bodies made up of segments, and as many as 300 pairs of legs or more.

Nocturnal Active during the night and inactive during the day.

Omnivore An animal that eats both plants and other animals.

Parasite An animal that takes its food or shelter from another, called the host. A parasite does not usually kill its host.

Predator An animal that obtains its food by hunting and killing other animals.

Prey An animal that is killed and eaten by predators.

Reptiles A class of cold-blooded vertebrate animals with scaly skin. Reptiles include snakes, lizards, turtles and crocodiles. Most reptiles lay eggs but some give birth to live young.

Scavengers Animals that feed on the remains of food killed or collected by other animals.

Species A group of animals (or any living thing) that are similar in body structure. Animals of the same species are able to breed together and produce young that can also breed.

Venom A poisonous substance found in the bodies of certain animals. Venom can be used for hunting or defence, and is usually injected with a sharp sting or bite.

Vertebrates Animals with backbones. Mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and fish are all vertebrates. Vertebrates are also known by their scientific phylum, chordates.

Warm-blooded Warm-blooded animals maintain their internal temperature independently of their surroundings. They do this by “burning” fuel (food) for energy.

Worms A group of long, thin, soft-bodied creatures. Some species live on land, while others live in the sea or in the sand of the seashore.

Consultant: Chris Jarvis