Features of the animal and plant kingdomsSpec 1.3.1
In short
Animals are multicellular organisms with no cell walls or chloroplasts that feed on other organisms. Plants are multicellular organisms with cellulose cell walls and chloroplasts that make their own food by photosynthesis. Animals store carbohydrate as glycogen and plants store it as starch. To place an organism in a kingdom, compare the same feature in both.
The two kingdoms you meet most often are the animal kingdom and the plant kingdom. Each kingdom has main features that are used to place an organism in it.
| Feature | Animals | Plants |
|---|---|---|
| Number of cells | Multicellular | Multicellular |
| Cell walls | No cell walls | Cell walls made of cellulose |
| Chloroplasts | No chloroplasts | Contain chloroplasts, so they can carry out photosynthesis |
| Nutrition | Feed on other organisms (they take in organic substances) | Make their own food by photosynthesis |
| Carbohydrate store | Glycogen | Starch |
| Coordination | Usually have a nervous system | No nervous system |
| Movement | Most can move from place to place | Cannot move from place to place |
Use these features to place an unknown organism. An organism that is multicellular, has cellulose cell walls and has chloroplasts is a plant. A multicellular organism with no cell walls that eats other organisms is an animal.
Mention at least two features and always compare the same feature in both kingdoms. 'Plants have chloroplasts' scores better as 'plants have chloroplasts; animals do not'.
Written and checked against the Cambridge IGCSE Biology (0610) specification · Updated October 2026