Invertebrate Zoology and Animal Biology Lecture Notes

Vocabulary flashcards covering comparative anatomy, reproductive strategies, hypotheses, and ecological roles of various invertebrate phyla.

Trichinosis

A condition humans get by ingesting undercooked raw meat such as pork or bear.

Dead end hosts

Hosts, such as humans in the case of trichinosis, from which a parasite usually cannot transfer to another animal to continue its life cycle because other animals do not normally eat humans.

Open circulatory system

A system in which the circulating fluid leaves the blood vessels and flows directly around the organs.

Closed circulatory system

A system in which blood stays inside blood vessels as it moves throughout the body.

Metanphridia

The kidney-like excretory organs found in Mollusca, contrasting with the excretory canals found in Nematoda.

Nacre

Substance that an oyster secretes in layers over an irritant, such as a parasite or piece of tissue, which builds up over time to form a pearl.

Hermaphrodites

Organisms, such as earthworms, in which each individual has both male and female reproductive organs.

Pololo worms

Worms that have separate male and female individuals and reproduce by releasing reproductive segments (egg or sperm) into the water for external fertilization.

Hygiene hypothesis

A hypothesis suggesting that less exposure to microbiota during childhood may increase the risk of allergies and autoimmune disorders.

Old friends hypothesis

A hypothesis that focuses on losing contact with specific beneficial microbiota that humans evolved alongside and that help regulate the immune system.

Trichuris Trichiura

The distinct whipworm species that usually causes whipworm infections in humans.

Antennal (green) gland

Excretory organs that filter waste from the blood, help remove excess water, and release waste through pores near the base of the antennae.

Ethogram

A list or catalog of an animal's behaviors used by scientists to observe and record its behavior during a study.

Basking

A behavior where butterflies spread their wings and expose themselves to sunlight to warm their bodies to reach the body temperature needed for flight and mating.

Compound eyes

Eyes made up of many tiny units that detect movement and provide a wide field of view.

Simple eyes

Eyes that detect light intensity and help insects sense orientation, but generally do not form detailed images.

Opiliones

Arachnids whose body appears fused into one oval section, do not produce silk, and do not possess venom glands or fangs.

Araneaae

Arachnids with two distinct body sections (cephalothorax and abdomen), the ability to produce silk, and most of which possess venom glands and fangs.

Bioluminescence

The production of light by a living organism through a chemical reaction inside its body, used to attract mates, find food, communicate, and protect themselves.

Crown of thorns starfish

Starfish that eat coral polyps, causing coral loss, damaged reef habitats, and reduced biodiversity when overpopulated.