Paleontology Final Exam

Formation of the moon

A body about half the size of Earth collided with it.

Late heavy Bombardment

Hadean Period (4.6-4 billion years ago).

Hadean Eon

Also referred to as: 'Hell on Earth'.

Occurred During Hadean Eon

The formation of Earth's Crust, the Moon, and the beginning of Water on Earth (hydrosphere).

Archaean Eon

End of Heavy Bombardment, formation of first rocks and continents, creation of atmosphere, and first forms of life appear (bacteria), and photosynthesis occurs for the first time.

Precambrian

The earliest geological period on Earth, spanning from the formation of the planet until the beginning of the Cambrian period (Hadean, Archean, Proterozoic).

Granitic gneiss

A type of gneiss metamorphic rock that is formed from the metamorphic change due to moving colliding plates.

Magnetosphere

Allows for atmosphere, protects us from solar winds.

Hydrosphere

All the water found on, above, and under the Earth's surface.

Creation of our second Atmosphere

H2O Vapor from air cooling and released by volcanoes.

What wasn't present in our atmosphere during the Archean Eon

Oxygen.

Abiogenesis

The origin of life from non-living matter.

Where did the first life form

In the deep ocean near Hydrothermal vents because they were protected from UV.

Amino acids

Building blocks (monomes) for proteins (polymers).

Proteins

Large molecules composed of one or more long chains of amino acids and are an essential part of all living.

Two domains that contain prokaryotic cells

Bacteria and Archaea.

Domain Archaea

Contains extremophiles.

Primordial soup

The hypothetical early Earth environment, containing a mixture of simple organic molecules in water, from which scientists believe the first life forms emerged.

Microspheres

A tiny, spherical structure, usually microscopic in size, composed of many molecules (key in the evolution of the first cell).

Ozone

Comes from oxygen gas and oxygen molecules reacting in the atmosphere.

Black chert

A sedimentary rock that is black sometimes due to the carbon of organisms.

Isotopes

Atoms of an element with the normal number of protons and electrons, but different numbers of neutrons.

Black smokers

Form when seawater seeps into the cracks of the earth's crust toward the hot rocks below.

Prokaryotic

Lack membrane (bound organelles) ex: no nucleus or mitochondria.

Heterotrophic

Eats food to get energy.

Anaerobic

No oxygen (O2) (all of the first organisms had this trait).

Autotrophic

Produces own food.

Hermaprohoditic

Archaebacteria: a group of single-celled prokaryotic organisms classified within the domain Arch.

Extremophiles

Classifies methanogens, thermacidophiles, and halophiles that live in extreme conditions.

Methanogens

Create methane as a waste product of metabolism.

How are Methanogens contributing to climate change

As the tundra warms methane gas that was trapped in ice is getting released into the atmosphere.

Thermoacidophiles

Hot acidic 'denature' proteins.

Halophiles

Salt lovers (minerals).

Coccus

A spherical-shaped bacterium.

Bacillus

A rod-shaped bacteria.

Spirillum

A type of bacteria with a rigid, spiral shape.

Cyanobacteria

"blue-green" photosynthetic bacteria that contain chlorophyll and release oxygen during photosynthesis

Stromatolite

layered sedimentary rock formations created by the growth of photosynthetic bacteria, primarily cyanobacteria (found modern-day in hypersaline lagoons)

Supercontinents

a massive landmass formed by the assembly of most or all of Earth's continental plates

Glaciation

accumulation of ice, flowing downhill under gravity

Iron oxide

a chemical compound formed when iron reacts with oxygen

Asexual reproduction

reproduction through cloning creates low genetic diversity

Prokaryotic

a single-celled organism that lacks a nucleus

Eukaryotic

organisms whose cells contain a nucleus surrounded by a membrane and other membrane-bound organelles

Sexual reproduction

A reproductive process that involves two parents who combine their genetic material to produce a new organism

External fertilization

when sex cells unite outside of the female body

External development

the process where a fertilized egg grows and develops into an embryo outside the body of the female parent

Domains

most inclusive taxonomic group, larger than kingdom (ex: archaea, bacteria, and eukaryota)

Kingdoms

the largest grouping in the classification of living organisms, where all members within that kingdom share similar characteristics

Endosymbiosis

where one organism lives completely inside another organism

Evidence to support Endosymbiotic Theory

circular DNA, the same size as bacteria, double membrane, can reproduce on their own

First two Organelles

Mitochondria and Chloroplast

Multi-cellular

made up of more than one cell (many cells)

Protista

"Junk" Drawer Kingdom ("plant"-like, "fungi" like, "animal" like), have no specialized cells

What two characteristics do all protists have in common

Eukaryotic and membrane-bound organelles

Porifera

free standing and encrusting, have a lot of pores

Asymmetry

the lack of symmetry, where an organism's body parts are not arranged in a balanced or repeating pattern

Hydra

a freshwater cnidaria

Specialized cells

Cells that perform a certain function

Choanoflagellates

create current by drawing H2O into pores

Flagellates

long proteins

Cilia

proteins stick off cell membrane

Psuedopods

temporary projections used for movement and feeding by some protists

Multicellular protists

grow larger, live longer, and feed on smaller things (ex: seaweed and kelp)

Collagen

white fibers that hold structures (like tissues) together

Sponge

simplest of all animals (belong in the Phylum Porifera and the common ancestor of all multicellular organisms)

Spicules

A fibrous protein made of collagen that some sponges produce

Amoebocytes

digestion of food and creates chemicals that give sponge structure

Spongin

a protein like collagen that gives sponges flexibility

Choanocytes

collar cells

Cnidaria

A phylum of organisms with radial symmetry and two body structures (polyp and medusa), and have a nerve net and stinging cells in their tentacles

Who were the first to evolve tissues?

Cnidaria

Nerve net

a loose network of nerves

Mesoglea

("glea" means glue) gelatinous material between epidermis and gastrodermis

Gonangium

sperm and eggs (found in moon jellies)

Phylum Cnidaria

Examples of oceanic creatures in this phylum include anemones, jellyfish, and coral.

Gastrodermis

The inner layer of cells in cnidarians which is for digestion.

Epidermis

Outer cells in cnidarians which is protective.

Nematocysts

A stinging, coiled organelle that contains venom-bearing harpoons found within specialized cells called cnidarian.

Porin

A protein that makes pores/holes in the cell membrane of blood cells causing them to rupture.

Bioluminescence

Proteins in some tissues that undergo a chemical reaction to produce blue or green light in response to stimuli (jellyfish produce this light).

Neurotoxins

A toxin that specifically affects the nervous system.

Tissues

Layer of specialized cells that serve a specific function.

Radial symmetry

Can cut in ½ many ways and both sides are the same (A body plan with more than one plane of symmetry).

Bilateral symmetry

The left and right halves of an animal's body are roughly mirror images of each other.

Aposematic Mechanism

Warning colors/coloration.

Budding

An exact copy of self that will break off and grow until adult.

Platyhelminthes

Flatworms (flat 'like plates') that have no body cavity.

Flatworms' light detection

Flatworms have eyes to detect light.

Parasitic flatworms

Examples include Liver Fluke and tapeworms.

Flatworms' hunting ability

Flatworms can hunt with purpose.

Organs

A group of several tissue types that perform a special function.

Diffusion

Movement of particles or molecules from high concentration to low concentration (how flatworms get food).

Mitochondria

Cell respiration (all organisms have this).

Chloroplast

Photosynthesis.

Cambrian explosion

A time of trials that allowed for more body parts to become diverse.

Burgess Shale

A fossil-rich deposit in the Canadian Rocky Mountains.

Exoskeleton

Protection against predators and desiccation.

Chitin

A type of carbohydrate found in the exoskeleton.

Arthropod

Jointed feet.