In the course of evolution, multicellular animals - Metazoa - have successfully colonized every conceivable habitat that our planet offers. Their bodies accomplish feats to survive, grow, and reproduce under often adverse conditions. Constantly producing offspring, passing on genes, and adapting to changing and new environments through mutations is the secret of evolution's success. But how is an animal's body structured to achieve such feats? What organs do animals have, how do they perceive their environment, and what is the evolutionary relationship between organisms that seem so different at first glance? These are just a few of the questions that every biology student asks themselves at the beginning of their studies.

This book presents the most important building blocks of selected animals and is designed as a modern practical guide. It is intended to help all students who prepare animals in experimental exercises as part of their zoological training to recognize and understand the basic body shapes and structures that occur in the respective animal groups. What are the most important features that characterize nematodes, annelids, insects, etc., and how have each contributed to the evolutionary success of these animal groups? Where are the similarities and where are the differences? How many different solutions has evolution found for a particular biological problem?

The aim of this book is to explain the morphology and anatomy of animals, their so-called basic structures, and the evolutionary relationships between them. To this end, the authors consistently rely on focused, compact texts and photographs that not only show the most important features of the animals but also make the presentation comprehensible step by step.

The authors hope that all biology students will successfully pass their zoological practical course with the help of this new book and gain new insights into the morphology and evolution of animals.