Class Notes on Birds and Mammals

Flashcards about birds and mammals.

Birds (Class Aves)

A class of vertebrates that includes approximately 9,000 to 10,000 species.

Theropods

A group of dinosaurs believed to be the ancestors of modern birds.

Archaeopteryx

An extinct theropod whose fossil is considered a potential ancestor of modern birds.

Avian Respiratory System

The most efficient respiratory system among vertebrates, aerating lungs during both inhalation and exhalation.

Alaskan Bartailed Godwit

A bird believed to be capable of flying nonstop from Alaska to New Zealand, a journey of 11,000 miles.

Avian Urinary System

Lacking a urinary bladder, birds excrete uric acid as a waste product of protein breakdown.

Cloaca

A common opening in birds used for waste removal, gamete release during mating, and egg laying.

Crop (in birds)

A storage area in the avian digestive system where food is stored before being brought back to the nest or moved to the gizzard.

Gizzard

A stomach in birds that grinds food with the help of stones that the bird swallows.

Pellet

A regurgitated mass of indigestible prey parts, such as bones and feathers, used to identify a bird's diet.

Petooey Bird

A bird from leukemia whose feathers are poisonous.

Mammals (Class Mammalia)

Vertebrates that produce milk, generally have fur or hair, possess a larger brain to body ratio, can have specialized teeth, and are typically endothermic. Most give live birth.

Monotremes

Mammals that lay eggs, including echidnas and platypuses.

Marsupials

Mammals with a pouch (marsupium) where the fetus completes its development, such as kangaroos.

Marsupium

The pouch of marsupials where the fetus completes development.

Placental Mammals (Eutherians)

Mammals with a placenta connecting the fetus to the mother for food and waste removal, resulting in fully formed offspring at birth.

Placenta

An organ that connects the fetus to the mother.

Primates

An order of mammals including lemurs, tarsiers, monkeys, apes, and humans.

Pentadactyl

Having hands with five digits.

Opposable Thumbs

Thumbs that can move independently from other digits, allowing for grasping.

Binocular Vision

Eyes positioned in the front of the face allowing for depth perception

Prosimians

The most ancient primates including lemurs, lorises and tarsiers.

Prehensile Tail

A tail that can be used to grasp or hold objects.

Nocturnal

The state of being active at night.

Claws

Sharp, nail-like structures at the end of fingers.

Bicornuate Uterus

A uterus that is split into two horns.

New World Monkeys

Monkeys found in the Americas, typically possessing prehensile tails and nostrils facing sideways, but not showing sexual dimorphism.

Old World Monkeys

Monkeys found in Asia, Africa, and parts of Europe, lacking prehensile tails but showing sexual dimorphism and possessing color vision.

Family Hominidae

Family that includes the great apes such as chimpanzees, gorillas, and humans.

Paleoanthropology

The study of human origins.

Hominids

Evolved about seven million years ago.

Australopithec

An ancestor from which hominids are believed to evolve.

Australopithecus

Earliest prominent fossil known.

Lucy

A famous Australopithecus fossil nicknamed after a Beatles song.

Genus Homo

The genus that we're in.

Homo Habilis

Earliest member of the genus homo.

Habilis

The first species of hominids to believe to evolved, and the word means handyman or tool using man.

Homoegastrium

Believed to be the same as homo erectus.

Homo Erectus

Believe to be the first fully bipedal relatively large brain hominid.

Homo Neanderthal

Hominids that lived in Europe near east middle east, but are now extinct.

Homo Sapiens

Earliest possible evidence of homo sapiens.

Homo Sapiens

Humans are 99.9 the same.

Homo Sapiens Features

Having upright posture, bial motion, larger brain size, language capabilities, shortened jaws.