Sarcopterygians / Coelacanths (7)

This set of flashcards covers key vocabulary and concepts related to sarcopterygians and coelacanths, providing definitions and explanations that will assist in exam preparation.

Surgical amputation evidence

Research indicates that ancient surgical amputations occurred 31,000 years ago, prior to modern surgical practices.

Sarcopterygian fish

A group of lobe-finned fish that includes lungfishes and coelacanths.

Living lungfish

Fish that lack the divided cranium of their ancestors and possess unique palatine teeth.

Durophagous

An organism that consumes hard-bodied prey, such as snails.

Endoskeleton composition

Most of the endoskeleton in lungfish is cartilaginous except for specific bones in the cranium and lobe fins.

Australian Lungfish (Neoceratodus fosteri)

A living lungfish species that retains many ancestral features and is protected by law.

Aestivation

A period of inactivity and reduced metabolism in response to dry environmental conditions.

Oviparous

Describing species that lay eggs; lungfish are oviparous and build nests for their eggs.

Swim bladder

A lung-like sac in coelacanths filled with oils for buoyancy, not connected to the pharynx.

Tapetum lucidum

A layer of guanine crystals behind the retina that aids in low-light vision in coelacanths.

Coelacanth

A rare type of lobe-finned fish thought to be extinct until discovered in 1938.

Embryonic development in coelacanths

Coelacanths are ovoviviparous, meaning embryos develop inside the mother and are nourished by yolk.

Chemoreception

The physiological response of organisms to chemical stimuli, utilized by lungfish to perceive their environment.

Mechanoreception

The ability to detect mechanical stimuli, which is used by fishes including lungfish for sensory perception.

Cosmoid scales

An ancient scale type that early sarcopterygians possessed, notable for their evolutionary significance.

Elasmobranchs

A group of cartilaginous fish that includes sharks and rays.

Sarcopterygians

A class of fish, including lungfishes and coelacanths, characterized by lobe-finned structures.