Breaking Down the Animal Kingdom
Once you get past kingdoms, things get really interesting with phyla (that's the plural of phylum). In the animal kingdom, there's a massive split that affects 100% of animals: you're either a vertebrate with a backbone, or an invertebrate without one.
Here's a mind-blowing fact - invertebrates make up 97% of all animal species! We're talking about insects, spiders, crabs, worms, and jellyfish. Meanwhile, vertebrates (fish, birds, mammals, reptiles, and amphibians) only account for 3% of animal species, but they get their own special phylum called Chordata.
All chordates share four key features at some point in their lives: pharyngeal slits (which sometimes become gills), a dorsal nerve cord running down their back, a supporting rod called a notochord, and a tail that extends past their bum. Humans actually have all of these when we're developing in the womb!
Did You Know? Even though vertebrates are only 3% of animal species, they're so important they get their own phylum - that's like giving a tiny group their own special club!