Evolution of Vertebrates and Human Evolution

A set of 60 vocabulary flashcards covering key terms and concepts from the lecture on the evolution of vertebrates and human evolution.

Deuterostome

A group of animals, including vertebrates, characterized by radial cleavage and the formation of the anus from the blastopore.

Vertebrate

A member of the subphylum Vertebrata, distinguished by having a backbone or spinal column.

Chordate

Animals belonging to the phylum Chordata; characterized by a notochord, dorsal hollow nerve cord, pharyngeal slits, and a post-anal tail.

Echinoderm

Marine animals in the phylum Echinodermata, characterized by a radial symmetry and a water vascular system.

Water vascular system

A network of fluid-filled canals in echinoderms that functions in locomotion, feeding, and gas exchange.

Keystone species

A species that has a disproportionately large effect on its environment relative to its abundance.

Aristotle’s lantern

A jaw-like structure in echinoderms used for feeding.

Notochord

A flexible rod-shaped structure that provides support, present in chordates during some stage of development.

Pharyngeal gill slits

Openings in the throat of chordates that are present during development and give rise to gills in aquatic species.

Dorsal hollow nerve cord

A nerve cord found in chordates that develops into the spinal cord and brain.

Amniotic egg

An egg containing membranes that protect the embryo, allowing it to be laid on land.

Viviparity

A reproductive strategy in which live young are born from the mother, particularly seen in many mammals.

Gnathostome

Jawed vertebrates, characterized by the presence of jaws derived from pharyngeal arches.

Tetrapod

Four-limbed vertebrates that include amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals.

Hominis

A lineage of great apes, including humans, characterized by bipedalism and larger brain size.

Australopithecus

An early genus of bipedal hominins from Africa, considered to be direct ancestors of modern humans.

Paranthropus

A genus of extinct hominins known for their robust skulls and specialized teeth for heavy chewing.

Out-of-Africa hypothesis

The theory that anatomically modern humans originated in Africa and migrated to other parts of the world.

Endotherm

An animal that regulates its body temperature through internal metabolic processes.

Ectotherm

An animal whose body temperature is largely determined by external environmental conditions.

Viviparous

Species capable of giving birth to live offspring as opposed to laying eggs.

Lactation

The production of milk by mammary glands for feeding young mammals.

Keratin

A structural protein that forms the key structural material in the outer layer of human skin, hair, and nails, as well as scales and feathers in reptiles and birds.

Hominid

A member of the biological family Hominidae, which includes all modern and extinct human species.

Adaptive radiation

The rapid evolution of diversely adapted species from a common ancestor to fill various ecological niches.

Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction

The mass extinction event approximately 66 million years ago that led to the demise of many species, including the dinosaurs.

Elasticity

The ability of an organism or tissue to return to its original shape after being stretched or compressed.