animale

Animale is the Romanian plural noun for animals, referring to the diverse multicellular organisms that make up the kingdom Animalia. In Romanian usage, animale denotes the collective category of animals as distinct from plants, fungi, and microorganisms. The singular form is animal.

Biologically, animals are multicellular eukaryotes that are typically heterotrophic, obtaining energy by consuming other organisms. They lack rigid cell walls, have specialized tissues and organs, and most species exhibit some form of voluntary movement at some life stage. Reproduction is primarily sexual, though asexual modes occur in several groups. Animal life cycles range from direct development to complex metamorphoses.

The animal kingdom is highly diverse and is divided into numerous phyla, with major groups including Arthropoda (insects, spiders, crustaceans), Mollusca (snails, clams, octopuses), Annelida (segmented worms), Echinodermata (starfish, sea urchins), Cnidaria (jellyfish, corals), Platyhelminthes (flatworms), Nematoda (roundworms), and Chordata (vertebrates and their relatives). The majority of described species are invertebrates. Estimates of global species richness range widely, but scientists commonly cite around 8.7 million animal species, with about 1.2–1.5 million described.

Ecologically, animale play essential roles as consumers, producers in some symbiotic relationships, pollinators, prey, and decomposers, shaping ecosystems and nutrient cycles. Humans interact with animals across agriculture, medicine, research, and culture, while conservation concerns—driven by habitat loss, climate change, and overexploitation—emphasize the need to protect biodiversity and individual species.