animaux

Animaux, the French term for animals, denote the diverse group of multicellular, eukaryotic organisms in the kingdom Animalia. They are generally heterotrophic, obtaining energy by consuming other organisms, and most develop through stages that include specialized tissues and organs. A large majority are capable of movement at some life stage, though some lineages are sessile in adulthood. Animals reproduce sexually, typically with a diploid dominance, and many species also reproduce asexually in favorable conditions.

Taxonomically, animals are divided into numerous phyla, including Arthropoda, Mollusca, Chordata, Annelida, Echinodermata, Cnidaria, Platyhelminthes, and Porifera. They inhabit nearly every habitat from oceans and rivers to forests and deserts. Body plans range from simple, diploblastic forms to highly complex vertebrates, and tissues and organ systems such as nervous, muscular, circulatory, and digestive systems provide wide functional diversity.

Ecology and life histories emphasize interactions with other organisms and the environment. Animals serve as herbivores, carnivores, omnivores, detritivores, and parasites, and they play crucial roles as predators, prey, pollinators, and seed dispersers. Reproductive strategies vary, including sexual reproduction with diverse mating systems and, in some species, asexual or parthenogenetic modes; development may involve metamorphosis in insects and amphibians.

Humans have domesticated, studied, and utilized many animaux for food, labor, companionship, and research. Conservation concerns focus on habitat loss, overexploitation, climate change, and disease, leading to declines in many species. Efforts by international and national bodies seek to monitor populations, protect habitats, and promote welfare and ethical treatment of animals in agriculture, industry, and science.