Why is an Elephant in Animalia?

Answer 1

To answer the question in the simplest way, the elephant has a backbone.

However, there is more to it than that, especially given that there are two invertebrate chordate groups - Urochordata (tunicates) and Cephalachordata (lancelets) - whose backbone is not in the form of actual vertebrae.

As Chordates (or members of the phylum Chordata), elephants share the following characteristics:

• dorsal nerve cord which is a bundle of nerve fibres which runs down the back. It connects the brain with the lateral muscles and other organs.
• notochord which is a cartilaginous rod running underneath, and supporting, the nerve cord - in the case of the elephant, a spine.
• post-anal tail - an extension of the body past the anal opening. (This feature is not always present in some adult Chordates such as frogs and humans, but it is present in the elephant.)
• Pharyngeal pouches - Chordates, at some stage of their life, have pharyngeal grooves and pouches that develop into other essential parts of their anatomy.

Answer 2

An elephant is classified under the phylum Chordata and kingdom Animalia because it is a multicellular, eukaryotic organism that obtains nutrients by consuming organic matter. Its body is made up of specialized cells, tissues, and organs, and it possesses characteristics such as mobility, reproduction, and response to stimuli, all of which are defining features of animals.

Answer 3

The elephant is a vertebrate because it has an internal skeleton. If it has bones inside it, then it is a vertebrate.

Answer 4

Because it can fly with it's big ears