WHat are the most important phyla in the animal kingdom? There are many different phyla within the animal kingdom, each with its own unique characteristics and members. Some of the most important and well-known phyla include: Chordata: This phylum includes animals that possess a spinal cord, such as vertebrates (mammals, birds, reptiles, fish, and amphibians) and some invertebrates (such as lancelets and tunicates). Arthropoda: This is the largest phylum of animals and includes insects, spiders, crustaceans, and other invertebrates with jointed legs and exoskeletons. Mollusca: This phylum includes snails, slugs, clams, and other animals with soft, unsegmented bodies and typically a hard, external shell. Annelida: This phylum includes segmented worms, such as earthworms and leeches. Echinodermata: This phylum includes animals with spiny skin and radial symmetry, such as starfish, sea urchins, and sea cucumbers. Cnidaria: This phylum includes animals such as jellyfish, corals, and sea anemones, which have a simple body plan and are usually radially symmetrical. These are just a few examples of the many diverse phyla that make up the animal kingdom. mjd@pobox.com What are a few more? Here are a few more examples of phyla within the animal kingdom: Platyhelminthes: This phylum includes flatworms, such as tapeworms and planarians. Nematoda: This phylum includes roundworms, such as hookworms and pinworms. Porifera: This phylum includes sponges, which are simple, aquatic animals with a porous body structure. Rotifera: This phylum includes rotifers, which are small, aquatic animals with cilia (tiny hair-like structures) used for movement and feeding. Bryozoa: This phylum includes bryozoans, which are small, aquatic animals that form colonies and secrete a protective skeleton. Brachiopoda: This phylum includes brachiopods, which are small, marine animals with a shell that is divided into two halves. These are just a few more examples of the many diverse phyla that make up the animal kingdom. There are many other phyla as well, each with its own unique characteristics and members. mjd@pobox.com Of a human, a beetle, and a starfish, which two are most closely related? Of a human, a beetle, and a starfish, the human and the beetle are most closely related. Humans and beetles both belong to the phylum Arthropoda, which is the largest and most diverse phylum in the animal kingdom. Arthropods are characterized by their jointed legs and exoskeletons, which provide protection and support for their bodies. In contrast, starfish belong to the phylum Echinodermata, which is a separate phylum from Arthropoda. Echinoderms are characterized by their spiny skin and radial symmetry, and include animals such as starfish, sea urchins, and sea cucumbers. While all three animals are members of the animal kingdom, they belong to different phyla and are therefore not as closely related to each other as the human and the beetle are.