In biology, "Fila" is not a recognized term. The correct term you're likely thinking of is Phyla (singular: phylum), which represents a major taxonomic rank used to classify organisms.
Here's a more detailed explanation:
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Phylum Defined: A phylum is a level of classification or taxonomic rank below kingdom and above class. It is a way to group organisms together based on fundamental similarities in body plan, organization, and evolutionary history.
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Hierarchical Classification: Think of it as part of a nested hierarchy:
- Domain (the broadest category)
- Kingdom
- Phylum
- Class
- Order
- Family
- Genus
- Species (the most specific category)
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Examples of Phyla: Some well-known phyla include:
- Chordata (animals with a notochord, including vertebrates like mammals, birds, fish, and reptiles)
- Arthropoda (animals with an exoskeleton, segmented body, and jointed appendages, such as insects, spiders, and crustaceans)
- Mollusca (soft-bodied animals, often with a shell, such as snails, clams, and squid)
- Platyhelminthes (flatworms)
- Nematoda (roundworms)
- Annelida (segmented worms)
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Importance of Phyla: The phylum level is crucial because it reflects major evolutionary divergences. Organisms within the same phylum share a basic body plan inherited from a common ancestor. Identifying the phylum of an organism is a fundamental step in understanding its evolutionary relationships and biological characteristics.
In summary, while "Fila" isn't a term used in biological classification, "Phyla" represents a critical level of taxonomic organization used to group organisms sharing a common body plan and evolutionary lineage.
