Overview of Animal Diversity

These flashcards cover the essential concepts from the overview of animal diversity, focusing on characteristics, development, and classification.

What are the main characteristics of animals?

Multicellular, heterotrophic eukaryotes that develop from embryonic layers.

What nutritional mode do animals generally follow?

Animals cannot make their own organic materials; they dissolve materials within their bodies for nutrition.

What is the diploid stage's role in animal reproduction?

The diploid stage is dominant, where sperm and egg are produced via meiosis, leading to the formation of a zygote.

What happens during the process of gastrulation?

One end of the embryo folds in on itself, leading to the formation of multiple embryonic tissue layers.

What are larval stages in animals?

Larval stages are sexually immature forms of an animal that are morphologically distinct from adults.

What significant event occurred during the Cambrian explosion?

A huge wave of diversity occurred, including many animals that have descendants today.

What differentiates bilateral animals from those with radial symmetry?

Bilateral animals have two-sided symmetry and tend to move actively, while radial animals often remain stationary.

What germ layers do bilateral animals possess?

Bilateral animals have three layers: ectoderm, endoderm, and mesoderm.

What is the body cavity found in triploblastic animals called?

Coelom, which cushions suspended organs and allows growth without disrupting other systems.

How do protostome and deuterostome animals differ in terms of development?

Protostomes develop via spiral cleavage and form the mouth first, while deuterostomes develop via radial cleavage and form the anus first.

What do the 5 common qualities of animals include?

1) They share a common ancestor. 2) Sponges are the sister group. 3) Eumetazoa has tissues. 4) Most animals are bilateral. 5) There are three major clades of bilaterans.