Chapter 29: CONTENT HEAVY Questions

Acanthostega

one of the earliest known tetrapods

Actinopterygii

ray-finned fishes

allantois

membrane of the egg that stores nitrogenous wastes produced by the embryo; also facilitates respiration

amnion

membrane of the egg that protects the embryo from mechanical shock and prevents dehydration

amniote

animal that produces a terrestrially adapted egg protected by amniotic membranes

Amphibia

frogs, salamanders, and caecilians

ampulla of Lorenzini

sensory organ that allows sharks to detect electromagnetic fields produced by living things

anapsid

animal having no temporal fenestrae in the cranium

anthropoid

monkeys, apes, and humans

Anura

frogs

apocrine gland

scent gland that secretes substances that are used for chemical communication

Apoda

caecilians

Archaeopteryx

transition species from dinosaur to bird from the Jurassic period

archosaur

modern crocodilian or bird, or an extinct pterosaur or dinosaur

Australopithecus

genus of hominins that evolved in eastern Africa approximately four million years ago

brachiation

movement through trees branches via suspension from the arms

brumation

period of much reduced metabolism and torpor that occurs in any ectotherm in cold weather

caecilian

legless amphibian that belongs to the clade Apoda

Casineria

one of the oldest known amniotes; had both amphibian and reptilian characteristics

Catarrhini

clade of Old World monkeys

Cephalochordata

chordate clade whose members possess a notochord, dorsal hollow nerve cord, pharyngeal slits, and a post-anal tail in the adult stage

Chondrichthyes

jawed fish with paired fins and a skeleton made of cartilage

Chordata

phylum of animals distinguished by their possession of a notochord, a dorsal hollow nerve cord, pharyngeal slits, and a post-anal tail at some point during their development

chorion

membrane of the egg that surrounds the embryo and yolk sac

contour feather

feather that creates an aerodynamic surface for efficient flight

Craniata

clade composed of chordates that possess a cranium; includes Vertebrata together with hagfishes

cranium

bony, cartilaginous, or fibrous structure surrounding the brain, jaw, and facial bones

Crocodilia

crocodiles and alligators

cutaneous respiration

gas exchange through the skin

dentary

single bone that comprises the lower jaw of mammals

diapsid

animal having two temporal fenestrae in the cranium

diphyodont

refers to the possession of two sets of teeth in a lifetime

dorsal hollow nerve cord

hollow, tubular structure derived from ectoderm, which is located dorsal to the notochord in chordates

down feather

feather specialized for insulation

eccrine gland

sweat gland

Enantiornithes

dominant bird group during the Cretaceous period

eutherian mammal

mammal that possesses a complex placenta, which connects a fetus to the mother; sometimes called placental mammals

flight feather

feather specialized for flight

frog

tail-less amphibian that belongs to the clade Anura

furcula

wishbone formed by the fusing of the clavicles

gnathostome

jawed fish

Gorilla

genus of gorillas

hagfish

eel-like jawless fish that live on the ocean floor and are scavengers

heterodont tooth

different types of teeth that are modified for different purposes

hominin

species that are more closely related to humans than chimpanzees

hominoid

pertaining to great apes and humans

Homo

genus of humans

Homo sapiens sapiens

anatomically modern humans

Hylobatidae

family of gibbons

Hylonomus

one of the earliest reptiles

lamprey

jawless fish characterized by a toothed, funnel-like, sucking mouth

lancelet

member of Cephalochordata; named for its blade-like shape

lateral line

sense organ that runs the length of a fish’s body; used to detect vibration in the water

lepidosaur

modern lizards, snakes, and tuataras

mammal

one of the groups of endothermic vertebrates that possesses hair and mammary glands

mammary gland

in female mammals, a gland that produces milk for newborns

marsupial

one of the groups of mammals that includes the kangaroo, koala, bandicoot, Tasmanian devil, and several other species; young develop within a pouch

monotreme

egg-laying mammal

Myxini

hagfishes

Neognathae

birds other than the Paleognathae

Neornithes

modern birds

notochord

flexible, rod-shaped support structure that is found in the embryonic stage of all chordates and in the adult stage of some chordates

Ornithorhynchidae

clade that includes the duck-billed platypus

Osteichthyes

bony fish

ostracoderm

one of the earliest jawless fish covered in bone

Paleognathae

ratites; flightless birds, including ostriches and emus

Pan

genus of chimpanzees and bonobos

Petromyzontidae

clade of lampreys

pharyngeal slit

opening in the pharynx

Platyrrhini

clade of New World monkeys

Plesiadapis

oldest known primate-like mammal

pneumatic bone

air-filled bone

Pongo

genus of orangutans

post-anal tail

muscular, posterior elongation of the body extending beyond the anus in chordates

primary feather

feather located at the tip of the wing that provides thrust

Primates

order of lemurs, tarsiers, monkeys, apes, and humans

prognathic jaw

long jaw

prosimian

division of primates that includes bush babies and pottos of Africa, lemurs of Madagascar, and lorises of Southeast Asia

salamander

tailed amphibian that belongs to the clade Urodela

Sarcopterygii

lobe-finned fish

sauropsid

reptile or bird

sebaceous gland

in mammals, a skin gland that produce a lipid mixture called sebum

secondary feather

feather located at the base of the wing that provides lift

Sphenodontia

clade of tuataras

Squamata

clade of lizards and snakes

stereoscopic vision

two overlapping fields of vision from the eyes that produces depth perception

swim bladder

in fishes, a gas filled organ that helps to control the buoyancy of the fish

synapsid

mammal having one temporal fenestra

Tachyglossidae

clade that includes the echidna or spiny anteater

tadpole

larval stage of a frog

temporal fenestra

non-orbital opening in the skull that may allow muscles to expand and lengthen

Testudines

order of turtles

tetrapod

phylogenetic reference to an organism with a four-footed evolutionary history; includes amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals

theropod

dinosaur group ancestral to birds

tunicate

sessile chordate that is a member of Urochordata

Urochordata

clade composed of tunicates

Urodela

salamanders

vertebral column

series of separate bones joined together as a backbone

Vertebrata

members of the phylum Chordata that possess a backbone

Describe the distinguishing characteristics of chordates

Share five key characteristics that appear at some stage during their development:

• a notochord

• a dorsal hollow (tubular) nerve cord

• pharyngeal gill arches or slits

• a post-anal tail

• endostyle/thyroid gland (Figure 29.3)

In some groups, some of these key characteristics are present only during embryonic development.