Situated just below and above Class in biological classification, a phylum groups organisms based on a general, shared body plan or fundamental developmental structure. What is a Phylum?
Phyla help biologists understand evolutionary relationships. Organisms in the same phylum—say, a human and a fish—might look very different, but they share a basic body blueprint (in this case, belonging to Chordata ). Phylum Chordata | manoa.hawaii.edu/ExploringOurFluidEarth phylum
Soft-bodied animals, often with shells (snails, clams, octopuses). Situated just below and above Class in biological
There are over 30 animal phyla, but these are some of the most common and distinct: often with shells (snails
Animals with jointed legs and exoskeletons (insects, spiders, crustaceans—the largest phylum).
In botany (plants, fungi), the term division is often used interchangeably with phylum. Key Phyla in the Animal Kingdom