Section 1
Animal Form and Function
Book
Version 32
By Boundless
By Boundless
Boundless Biology
Biology
by Boundless
6 concepts
![Thumbnail](../../../../../../figures.boundless-cdn.com/19468/square/figure-33-00-01.jpeg)
Characteristics of the Animal Body
Every animal has a distinct body plan, adapted in response to environmental pressures, that limits its size and shape.
![Thumbnail](../../../../../../figures.boundless-cdn.com/19469/square/figure-33-01-01.jpeg)
Body Plans
Animal body plans can have varying degrees of symmetry and can be described as asymmetrical, bilateral, or radial.
![Thumbnail](../../../../../../figures.boundless-cdn.com/21064/square/33.1.3-20table-201.jpg)
Limits on Animal Size and Shape
Animal shape and body size are influenced by environmental factors as well as the presence of an exoskeleton or an endoskeleton.
![Thumbnail](../../../../../../figures.boundless-cdn.com/21107/raw/le-one-to-thousand-spheres.jpg)
Limiting Effects of Diffusion on Size and Development
Less efficient diffusion in larger cells led to multicellular organisms with specialized tissues that supply nutrients and remove waste.
![Thumbnail](../../../../../../figures.boundless-cdn.com/19471/square/figure-33-01-03.jpeg)
Animal Bioenergetics
An animal's body size, activity level, and environment impacts the ways it uses and obtains energy.
![Thumbnail](../../../../../../figures.boundless-cdn.com/19472/square/figure-33-01-04.jpeg)
Animal Body Planes and Cavities
Vertebrates can be divided along different planes in order to reference the locations of defined cavities.