The Animal Kingdom Basic Vocab

forbidden from the beginning I saw her there up there FRANK OCEAN RELEASE THE MUSIC

symmetry

the balanced arrangement of body parts on an axis or plane

radial symmetry

the arrangement of body parts around a central axis; no distinct left or right

bilateral symmetry

the body can be divided into right and left sides that mirror each other

asymmetry

the body lacks symmetry

anterior

front of the body

posterior

rear of the body

dorsal

back side of the body (think spine)

ventral

under side of the body (think stomach)

germ layers

embryonic tissue from which all other animal tissues come from (exs. ectoderm, mesoderm, endoderm)

gastrointestinal tract

pathway where food enters the body and wastes are expelled (exs. digestive system, gut)

coelom

a true body cavity (fluid-filled & lined with mesoderm tissue) found in many animals

acoelomate

Animal lacks a body cavity

pseudocoelomate

Animal has a ‘false’ body cavity; not completely lined with mesodermal tissue

coelomate

Animal has a true body cavity

segmentation

the subdivision of the body into a series of repeated parts

endothermic

animals that maintain a constant body temperature INSIDE using heat generated by metabolism

ectothermic

animals that regulate their body temperature by absorbing heat energy OUTSIDE

Name all 6 nutritional strategies!

Herbivore, Carnivore, Omnivore, Scavenger, Parasite, Filter Feeder

ectoderm

Outermost germ layer; external body covering & nervous tissue (exs. skin, brain, spinal cord, etc.)

endoderm

Innermost germ layer; lining of internal organs (exs. lining of digestive tract, lining of lungs, etc.)

mesoderm

Middle germ layer; consists of most internal systems and tissues (exs. musculoskeletal, circulatory, excretory & reproductive systems)

protostomate

An animal whose mouth develops first during early embryonic stages

deuterostomate

An animal whose anus develops first during early embryonic stages

herbivore

animals that feed on plants

carnivore

animals that feed on other animals

omnivore

animals that feed on plants & animals

scavenger

an animal that feeds on the remains of other animals

parasite

an organism that lives on or in a host & gets its food at the host’s expense

filter feeder

an aquatic animal that gets their food via water currents carrying organic material & organisms; have a filtering structure for consumption

endoskeleton

inner skeleton

exoskeleton

outer skeleton

nerve net

simplest form of a nervous system; consists of a decentralized, interconnected network of nerve cells spread throughout the body 

ganglia

a cluster of nerve cells that acts a local processing center for nerve signals; simple brain-like structure

hermaphrodite

an animal that possesses both male & female reproductive organs

asexual reproduction

an animal produces offspring without the involvement of another; doesn’t involve genetic variation like sexual reproduction does

open circulatory system

vessels open into body cavity, blood bathes organs directly

closed circulatory system

continuous vessels and vessels carry blood to organs (fluid never leaves vessels)

diffusion

oxygen passes into the animal’s body across the body surface, carbon dioxide is released from the same surface

gills

respiratory organs that take oxygen from water & release carbon dioxide 

lungs

specialized organs that enable gas exchange in larger, more complex animals

spiracles

small openings on the surface of certain animals that allow air to enter & carbon dioxide to exit; work with trachea 

trachea

specialized structure that enables gas exchange; major respiratory structure in insects & some arthropods

protonephridia

excretory organs in some simpler animals; consists of tubule networks that filter waste fluids

metanephridia

in more complex invertebrates (ex. annelids); tubules open internally to coelom & externally to body surface

kidneys

complex excretory organs found in vertebrates; contain millions of nephrons (filtering units)

gastrovascular cavity

incomplete digestive system; single opening serves as mouth & anus, cavity functions for both digestion & nutrients distribution (in Cnidaria)

radula

ribbon-like, tongue covered in many teeth that shred food before ingestion (in most Mollusks)

amoebocytes

sponge cells that resemble amoebas; help digest food, produce spicules that support sponge structure, transport nutrients, & differentiate into egg cells for reproduction

choanocytes

sponge cells with a collar & flagellum; create water currents to trap & eat food particles, differentiate into sperm cells for reproduction

spicule

a tiny, hard, spike-like structure inside some sponges that helps support & protect their bodies

cnidocyte

a stinging cell found on the tentacles of cnidarians that injects toxin to capture prey or defend the animal

medusa

the jellyfish-like, swimming stage of a cnidarian

polyp

the stationary, stalk-like stage of a cnidarian

mantle

the outer skin of a mollusk that covers its body & makes the shell

chitinous exoskeleton

a hard, lightweight outer shell made of chitin that protects & supports the body of arthropods

cephalization

the concentration of a brain & sensory organs at the front (head) end of an animal

tube feet

small, flexible, suction-cup-like structures on echinoderms that help them move, grab food, & breathe by pumping water through their bodies

dorsal nerve cord

a hollow nerve cord that runs along the back (dorsal side) of chordate animals & develops into the spinal cord & brain

notochord

a flexible, cartilage rod that runs along the back of chordates & provides support

vertebrate

an animal that has a backbone or spinal column made of bone or cartilage

invertebrate

animals that do not have a backbone or spinal column