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NEET ZoologyUpdated 19 Oct 2026

Animal Kingdom: NEET PYQs and weightage

Animal Kingdom carries 8.5 of 100 Zoology marks in NEET by past-paper share: 55 of the 648 tagged NEET Zoology PYQs in the ViJEEta bank (NEET 2013–2026). It ranks 2 of 17 Zoology chapters.

Take the 25-question Animal Kingdom testKey facts ↓All NEET Zoology chapters
8.5/100 Weight in Zoology
5 of 5 Exam importance (5/5, by past-paper share)
55 NEET PYQs
697 Practice questions
565 With measured difficulty

How the weight is computed: this chapter's tagged NEET PYQs divided by all tagged NEET Zoology PYQs in the bank (55 of 648), times 100, with repeated questions counted once. The bank does not store the year of each NEET question, so none is printed. Computed from the bank at build time. Updated 19 Oct 2026.

Animal Kingdom: key facts for NEET

16 facts the paper keeps asking, each with how it is asked. Copy it onto one page of your notebook: that page is this chapter's handbook.

  1. Levels of organisation

    Sponges show cellular level, coelenterates tissue level, Platyhelminthes organ level, and Aschelminthes onwards organ-system level.

    Asked as: Match the phylum to its level of organisation, or "Which phylum is first to show organ level?"

  2. Symmetry

    Sponges are mostly asymmetrical. Coelenterates, ctenophores and echinoderms are radial. Annelids, arthropods etc. are bilateral.

    Asked as: Odd one out by symmetry (e.g., Ctenophora among bilateral phyla).

  3. Germ layers and coelom

    Triploblasty starts from Platyhelminthes. They are acoelomate. Aschelminthes are pseudocoelomate (mesoderm only as scattered pouches). Annelids onwards are coelomates.

    Asked as: "Pseudocoelom is seen in": Ascaris / Taenia / Pheretima / Pila.

  4. Porifera

    Water enters by ostia, passes to the spongocoel and exits by the osculum. Choanocytes line the canals. Digestion is intracellular. Sponges are hermaphrodite with internal fertilisation and indirect development.

    Asked as: Correct sequence of water flow, or a true/false on "sponges have external fertilisation".

  5. Cnidaria

    Cnidoblasts hold nematocysts, used for anchorage, defence and prey capture. Body forms are polyp and medusa. Obelia shows metagenesis. Corals have a skeleton.

    Asked as: "Metagenesis is shown by": Obelia; or "Adamsia is a": polyp (sea anemone).

  6. Ctenophora (comb jellies)

    rows of ciliated comb plates for locomotion. Bioluminescence is well marked. Reproduction is only sexual, with external fertilisation (Pleurobrachia, Ctenoplana).

    Asked as: "Bioluminescence is well-marked in": Ctenophora.

  7. Platyhelminthes

    Dorso-ventrally flattened body, with hooks and suckers in parasites. Flame cells do osmoregulation and excretion. Planaria has high regeneration capacity. Examples: Taenia (tapeworm), Fasciola (liver fluke).

    Asked as: Match flame cells Platyhelminthes, nephridia Annelida, malpighian tubules Arthropoda.

  8. Annelida

    Metameric segmentation, closed circulation and nephridia. Nereis has parapodia and is dioecious. Earthworm and leech are monoecious.

    Asked as: "Which annelid is dioecious?": Nereis; or parapodia help in swimming.

  9. Arthropoda

    Arthropoda is the largest phylum (over two-thirds of named species). It has a chitinous exoskeleton, jointed appendages and open circulation. Limulus (king crab) is a living fossil, and Locusta is a gregarious pest.

    Asked as: Match Laccifer, Bombyx, Apis, Limulus, Anopheles to economic / vector / living fossil.

  10. Mollusca

    Mollusca is the second largest phylum. The body is unsegmented with head, muscular foot and visceral hump. Gills sit in the mantle cavity, and the radula is a rasping feeding organ.

    Asked as: Common names: Pinctada (pearl oyster), Sepia (cuttlefish), Octopus (devil fish), Dentalium (tusk shell).

  11. Echinodermata

    Calcareous ossicles and a water vascular system (locomotion, food capture, respiration). There is no excretory system. Adults are radial, larvae bilateral.

    Asked as: "Excretory system is absent in": echinoderms; Antedon = sea lily, Cucumaria = sea cucumber.

  12. Hemichordata

    Body is proboscis, collar and trunk, with a stomochord in the collar. Circulation is open, and the proboscis gland excretes (Balanoglossus, Saccoglossus).

    Asked as: "Stomochord is present in": Balanoglossus.

  13. Chordate features

    Chordates have a notochord, a dorsal hollow nerve cord, paired pharyngeal gill slits and a post-anal tail. In Urochordata the notochord is only in the larval tail. In Cephalochordata (Branchiostoma) it runs head to tail for life.

    Asked as: Justify "all vertebrates are chordates but not all chordates are vertebrates".

  14. Cyclostomata (Agnatha)

    Jawless ectoparasites on fishes with – pairs of gill slits and no scales or paired fins. They migrate to fresh water to spawn and die (Petromyzon, Myxine).

    Asked as: "Number of gill slit pairs in cyclostomes": –.

  15. Chondrichthyes vs Osteichthyes

    Chondrichthyes have placoid scales, no operculum, no air bladder (they must swim constantly) and claspers in males (Torpedo electric, Trygon sting). Osteichthyes have pairs of gills under an operculum and an air bladder.

    Asked as: Match Torpedo electric organ, Trygon poison sting, Exocoetus flying fish.

  16. Heart chambers and thermoregulation

    Heart: fishes -chambered, amphibians , reptiles (crocodile ), birds and mammals . Fishes, amphibians and reptiles are poikilotherms. Ornithorhynchus is an oviparous mammal.

    Asked as: "Four-chambered heart is found in": Crocodilus among reptiles.

Trap

Hemichordata is NOT a chordate. Its stomochord only resembles a notochord, so NCERT now lists it as a separate non-chordate phylum.

How does NEET ask Animal Kingdom?

8 real previous-year questions from this chapter, as printed in the paper, each with its worked solution. Answer the first one here with no sign-in.

Q1ZoologyNEET UG PYQNon-Chordates (General)
Try right here · No sign-in
Match the following columns and select the correct option – Column IColumn II(a) Gregarious, polyphagous pest(i) Asterias(b) Adult with radial symmetry and larva with bilateral symmetry(ii) Scorpion(c) Book lungs(iii)Ctenoplana(d) Bioluminescence(iv) Locusta
Answer key (D) & worked solution

Correct answer: Option D

(a) Locusta is a gregarious pest. (b) In Echinodermata, adults are radially symmetrical and larva are bilaterally symmetrical. For example: Asterias. (c) In Arthropoda, scorpion respires through book lungs. (d) Bioluminescence (the property of a living organism to emit light) is well marked in ctenophores. For example: Ctenoplana.
Q2ZoologyNEET UG PYQPhylum Chordata
Match the following columns and select the correct option. Column IColumn II(a) 6-15 pairs of gill slits(i) Trygon(b) Heterocercal caudal fin(ii) Cyclostomes(c) Air bladder(iii) Chondrichthyes(d) Poison sting(iv) Osteichthyes
Aa – iv; b – ii; c – iii; d – i
Ba – i; b – iv; c – iii; d – ii
Ca – ii; b – iii; c – iv; d – i
Da – iii; b – iv; c – i; d – ii
Answer key (C) & worked solution

Correct answer: Option C

(a) Cyclostomata that belongs to agnatha which comprises the living jawless vertebrates. (b) Chondrichthyes consists of the cartilaginous fishes (eg. shark), a typical member of which has heterocercal (two unequal lobes) caudal fins. (c) Osteichthyes consists of the bony fishes in which air bladder is present which regulates buoyancy. (d) Chondrichthyes poison sting (e.g., Trygon, whose common name is sting ray).
Q3ZoologyNEET UG PYQBasis of Classification
Find out the correct option after matching the name of the animal (Column I) with one characteristic (Column II) and the phylum/class (Column III) to which it belongs. Column IColumn IIColumn III(1)PetromyzonEctoparasiteCyclostomata(2)IchthyophisTerrestrialReptilia(3)LimulusBody covered by chitinous exoskeletonPisces(4)AdamsiaRadially symmetricalPorifera
APetromyzon - Ectoparasite - Cyclostomata
BIchthyophis - Terrestrial - Reptilia
CLimulus - Body covered by chitinous exoskeleton - Pisces
DAdamsia - Radially symmetrical - Porifera
Answer key (A) & worked solution

Correct answer: Option A

Petromyzon is a vertebrate belonging to Cyclostomata which is an ectoparasite on marine fish and turtles. Ichthyophis is a limbless amphibian. Limulus (king crab) is a living fossil, which belongs to the phylum Arthropoda. Admasia having polyp body form is a Coelenterata.
Q4ZoologyNEET UG PYQBasis of Classification
Consider the following features: (1) Organ system level of organisation(2) Bilateral symmetry(3) True coelomates with segmentation on body Select the correct option of animal groups which possess all the above characteristics:
AAnnelida, Arthropoda and Mollusca
BArthropoda, Mollusca and Chordata
CAnnelida, Mollusca and Chordata
DAnnelida, Arthropoda and Chordata
Answer key (D) & worked solution

Correct answer: Option D

True segmentation is present in Annelida, Arthropoda and Chordata. They also have organ system level of organisation, bilateral symmetry and are true coelomates.
Q5ZoologyNEET UG PYQNon-Chordates (General)
Match the following organisms with their respective characteristics: Column-IColumn-IIAPila(i)Flame cellsBBombyx(ii)Comb platesCPleurobrachia(iii)RadulaDTaenia(iv)Malpighian tubules
AA – (iii), B – (iv), C – (ii), D – (i)
BA – (ii), B – (iv), C – (iii), D – (i)
CA – (iii), B – (ii), C – (iv), D – (i)
DA – (iii), B – (ii), C – (i), D – (iv)
Answer key (A) & worked solution

Correct answer: Option A

(a) Pila is a Mollusc. The mouth contains a file- like a rasping organ for feeding called radula. (b) Bombyx is an Arthropod. In Bombyx excretion takes place through malpighian tubules. (c) Pleurobrachia is Ctenophore. The body bears eight external rows of ciliated comb plates, which help in locomotion. (d) Taenia is a platyhelminth. Specialised cells called flame cells help in osmoregulation and excretion in it.
Q6ZoologyNEET UG PYQPhylum Chordata
Given below are two statements: one is labelled as Assertion (A) and the other is labelled as Reason (R). Assertion (A): All vertebrates are chordates but all chordates are not vertebrates Reason (R): Notochord is replaced by the vertebral column in the adult vertebrates. In the light of the above statements, choose the most appropriate answer from the options given below:
ABoth (A) and (R) are correct and (R) is the correct explanation of (A)
BBoth (A) and (R) are correct but (R) is not the correct explanation of (A)
C(A) is correct but (R) is not correct
D(A) is not correct but (R) is correct
Answer key (A) & worked solution

Correct answer: Option A

All vertebrates are chordates but all chordates are not vertebrates. This statement is true because all the features of chordates are present in all the vertebrates in some stage of life. In adult vertebrates, the notochord is replaced by the vertebral column and this is not the case for all chordates, hence the assertion is correct and reason is the correct explanation of assertion.
Q7ZoologyNEET UG PYQSubphylum Vertebrata
Match List I with List II: List IList IIA. PterophyllumI. Hag fishB. MyxineII. Saw fishC. PristisIII. Angel fishD. ExocoetusIV. Flying fish Choose the correct answer from the options given below:
AA-III, B-I, C-II, D-IV
BA-IV, B-I, C-II, D-III
CA-III, B-II, C-I, D-IV
DA-II, B-I, C-III, D-IV
Answer key (A) & worked solution

Correct answer: Option A

Pterophyllum - Angel fish Myxine - Hag fish Pristis - saw fish Exocoetus - Flying fish
Q8ZoologyNEET UG PYQClass Cyclostomata
A jawless fish, which lays eggs in fresh water and whose ammocoetes larvae after metamorphosis return to the ocean is:
AEptatretus
BMyxine
CNeomyxine
DPetromyzon
Answer key (D) & worked solution

Correct answer: Option D

Petromyzon is marine but migrates for spawning to fresh water. After spawning, within a few days, the fish die. Their larvae, after metamorphosis, return to the ocean.

Which topics in Animal Kingdom carry the most questions?

The 12 busiest of 24 topics, by tagged PYQs, then practice questions. Counted from the bank. Updated 19 Oct 2026.

TopicPYQsPractice questions
Basis of Classification16149
Phylum Chordata830
Phylum Arthropoda537
Non-Chordates (General)348
Class Mammalia323
Class Aves320
Class Cyclostomata320
Phylum Porifera229
Phylum Echinodermata228
Miscellaneous Examples141
Phylum Annelida133
Subphylum Vertebrata125

Why does Animal Kingdom show "–" until you answer 3 questions?

Unknown is not zero. Until you answer at least 3 graded questions in Animal Kingdom, ViJEEta shows – instead of a zero or a 50% default. Book exercises can raise chapter mastery up to 0.60, adaptive practice up to 0.75, and only a timed chapter test or mock can certify 0.80 and above.

How ViJEEta scores you

What happens when you test Animal Kingdom?

Every chapter test is 25 questions. It starts at moderate difficulty and adapts after each saved answer. If you open a solution before answering, that attempt earns no credit, so your mastery stays honest.

Start the Animal Kingdom test

Chapters either side of Animal Kingdom by weight

Biotechnology: Principles and Processes Weight 11.0/100Biomolecules Weight 8.3/100Human Reproduction Weight 7.9/100