Biology: How Life Works - Animal Evolution & Diversity

These flashcards cover key vocabulary from the lecture on animal evolution and diversity, helping students understand important terms and concepts.

Multicellularity

The condition of being composed of multiple cells that work together.

Bilateral Symmetry

A body plan in which there are two identical halves on either side of a central plane.

Cephalization

The concentration of nervous system and sensory organs in the front part of an organism.

Embryonic Tissue Layers

Layers formed during embryonic development, including ectoderm, endoderm, and mesoderm.

Diploblastic

Organisms that have two embryonic tissue layers: ectoderm and endoderm.

Triploblastic

Organisms that have three embryonic tissue layers: ectoderm, endoderm, and mesoderm.

Segmentation

The division of an organism's body into repeated units or segments.

Nematocysts

Stinging cells found in cnidarians used for capturing prey.

Protostomes

Animals in which the blastopore becomes the mouth.

Deuterostomes

Animals in which the blastopore becomes the anus.

Lophotrochozoa

A clade of protostome animals that includes mollusks and annelids.

Ecdysozoa

A clade of protostome animals characterized by molting.

Amniotic Egg

An egg that is adapted for life on land, allowing for gas exchange while retaining water.

Metamorphosis

A dramatic change in form that occurs during the development of certain organisms.

Chordate

Animals belonging to the phylum Chordata, characterized by a notochord and dorsal nerve cord.

Shared Derived Characteristics

Features that are shared by a group of organisms and are used to define a group.

Eumetazoa

A clade of animals with true tissues.

Cnidaria

A phylum that includes animals like corals and jellyfish, characterized by radial symmetry.