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The taxonomic system recognizes the generally accepted grouping of animals with certain evolutionary traits into taxa below the kingdom level, called phyla (the plural of phylum). The most well known phyla of kingdom Animalia are the Mollusca, Porifera, Cnidaria, Platyhelminthes, Nematoda, Annelida, Arthropoda, Echinodermata, and Chordata, our own phylum.
There are more than 35 phyla in all, but these nine generally comprise the bulk of the kingdom.
Etymology
American Heritage Dictionary (http://www.bartleby.com/61/54/P0275400.html): New Latin phylum, from Greek phūlon, class.
Online Etymological Dictionary (http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?l=p&p=15): from Gk. phylon "race, stock," related to phyle "tribe, clan," and phylein "bring forth" of physikos "pertaining to nature," from physis "nature"
Also See: Animalia Scientific classification
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