General Zoology Lecture Notes

Vocabulary-style flashcards covering key terms and concepts from the General Zoology notes.

Zoology

Field of biological sciences that studies animals, including morphology, anatomy, physiology, evolution, taxonomy, and ecology.

Morphology

Study of the forms or external features of animals.

Anatomy

Study of the internal structure of animals; often involves dissection.

Physiology

Study of the functions of the bodily structures.

Evolution

Process by which species change over time; Darwin and Wallace proposed natural selection.

Taxonomy

Science of classifying organisms.

Ecology

Study of relationships between organisms and their environment.

Significance of Zoology

Explains anatomy/physiology, environment, agriculture, medicine, evolution, and genetics related to animal life.

Aristotle

384–322 BCE; Father of Zoology; began systematic biology and classification; major works include History of Animals, Parts of Animals, Generation of Animals.

History of Animals

Aristotle’s work describing animal life and classification.

Parts of Animals

Aristotle’s treatise on animal anatomy.

Generation of Animals

Aristotle’s work on animal reproduction.

Pliny the Elder

Roman naturalist; Historia Naturalis; volumes on zoology and land animals.

Historia Naturalis

Pliny’s encyclopedia of nature.

Galen

Roman physician; animal dissections; his works influenced medieval medicine.

De humani corporis fabrica

Vesalius’ landmark anatomy book; foundational to modern Western medicine.

Andreas Vesalius

16th-century anatomist who advanced human anatomy using observations from animals.

Conrad Gessner

Naturalist; Historiae Animalium; early modern founder of modern zoology.

Historiae Animalium

Gessner’s multi-volume work marking the start of modern zoology.

William Harvey

Physician who demonstrated blood circulation.

Exercitatio Anatomica de Motu Cordis

Harvey’s treatise on the motion of the heart and circulation.

Janssen

Hans & Zacharias Janssen credited with early, though not formally recognized, microscopes.

Hooke

Robert Hooke; Micrographia; coined the term 'cell' from observations of cork.

Micrographia

Hooke’s illustrated work describing microscopic observations.

John Ray

Naturalist who classified animals by anatomy into Vertebrates and Invertebrates.

Vertebrates

Animals with backbones.

Invertebrates

Animals without backbones.

Marcello Malpighi

Early microscopist; discoveries on capillaries and development.

Jan Swammerdam

Early researcher on insect development and capillaries.

Antoni van Leeuwenhoek

Improved microscopes; discovered bacteria and protozoa ('animalcules').

Binomial nomenclature

Two-word naming system for species; foundational to taxonomy (Linnaeus).

Systema Naturae

Linnaeus’ foundational taxonomy work (1735+).

Georges Cuvier

Established fundamental taxonomic groups; father of catastrophism and vertebrate anatomy.

Lamarck

Early evolution theorist proposing mechanisms of change.

Schleiden

Cell Theory proponent; all organisms are made of cells.

Schwann

Cell Theory proponent; cells arise from pre-existing cells.

Cell Theory

Three principles: all living things are made of cells; the cell is the basic unit of life; cells arise from pre-existing cells.

Rudolf Virchow

Refined Cell Theory; stated that all cells arise from pre-existing cells.

Darwin

Naturalist who proposed evolution by natural selection.

Wallace

Naturalist who independently conceived natural selection; co-supported Darwin’s ideas.

Tinbergen

Pioneer of ethology; study of animal behavior.

Ethology

Science of animal behavior.

Watson & Crick

Scientists who discovered the structure of DNA (double helix).

Desmond Morris

Author of The Naked Ape; applied ethology to humans.

Edward O. Wilson

Pioneered sociobiology; advocated biodiversity conservation.

Sociobiology

Study of social behavior in an evolutionary context.

Biodiversity

Diversity of life in all its forms, levels, and combinations.

Molecular biology

Field integrating biology at the molecular level (DNA, RNA, proteins).

Genetics

Science of heredity and variation in organisms.

Conservation

Efforts to protect biodiversity and sustain ecosystems.

Divisions of Biology

Botany, Zoology, Microbiology.

Sub-branches of Zoology

Specialized areas such as anatomy, cytology, embryology, ethology, genetics, histology, morphology, organology, paleontology, paleozoology, pathology, physiology, taxonomy.

Anatomy (sub-branch)

Internal structure of organisms; often studied via dissection.

Cytology

Study of the structure, function, and chemistry of cells.

Embryology

Study of embryo development.

Ethology (sub-branch)

Study of animal behavior.

Genetics (sub-branch)

Study of heredity and variation.

Histology

Study of tissues.

Morphology (sub-branch)

Study of form or external features.

Organology

Study of organs of the body.

Paleontology

Study of fossils.

Paleozoology

Study of animal fossils.

Pathology

Concerned with diseases.

Physiology (sub-branch)

Study of the functions of the body’s structures.

Taxonomy (sub-branch)

Classification of organisms.

The Animal Cell

Unit of life; all life is built from cells.

Nucleus

Control center of the cell; contains genetic material (DNA) and regulates gene expression.

Cell Membrane

Plasma membrane; thin, flexible, selectively permeable barrier surrounding the cell.

Microvilli

Tiny projections that increase absorption at the cell surface.

Pinocytic vesicles

Vesicles for ingestion of fluids/substances.

Cytoplasm

Jelly-like interior of the cell containing cytosol.

Cytoskeleton

Network of fibers giving cell shape and enabling movement; includes microtubules, microfilaments, intermediate filaments.

Mitochondria

Powerhouse of the cell; produces ATP.

Endoplasmic Reticulum

Intracellular transport network; rough ER has ribosomes for protein synthesis; smooth ER makes lipids.

Golgi Apparatus

Modifies, sorts, and packages proteins for secretion.

Lysosomes

Organelles with enzymes that digest waste materials and debris.

Ribosomes

Sites of protein synthesis.

Centrioles

Cell structures that organize spindle fibers during cell division.

Nucleus

Cell’s control center containing DNA; regulates gene expression and DNA replication.

Nuclear Envelope

Double membrane surrounding the nucleus.

Nucleoplasm

Fluid inside the nucleus.

Nucleolus

Nuclear region that makes rRNA and assembles ribosomes.

Chromatin

DNA-protein complex that condenses into chromosomes during cell division.

Cell Shapes

Various forms of cells based on location and function: squamous, cuboidal, columnar, stellate, amorphous, oval, fusiform, polygonal, spider-like, threadlike.

Squamous

Flat, thin cell shape found in alveoli and blood vessels.

Cuboidal

Cube-shaped cells found in kidney tubules and glands.

Columnar

Tall, rectangular cells lining intestines.

Stellate

Star-shaped cells (e.g., neurons, astrocytes).

Amorphous

Cells lacking definite shape (e.g., moving/engulfing white blood cells).

Oval

Egg-shaped cells (e.g., oocytes).

Fusiform

Spindle-shaped cells with tapering ends (e.g., smooth muscle).

Polygonal

Many-sided cells (e.g., hepatocytes, skin epithelium).

Spider-like

Irregular, long-armed cells (e.g., melanocytes).

Threadlike

Long, thin cells (e.g., skeletal muscle fibers, sperm tails).

Cell Division: Mitosis

Division of the nucleus producing two identical daughter nuclei; stages include prophase, metaphase, anaphase, telophase.

Somatic cells

Body cells not involved in reproduction.

Germinal cells

Reproductive cells that give rise to gametes.

Interphase

Longest cell cycle phase; DNA is chromatin; preparation for mitosis.

G1 (Gap 1)

Cell grows and synthesizes components (not chromosomes).

S phase

DNA replication; chromosomes duplicated; centrosomes duplicate.