BISC 120 Midterm 4 Review Vocabulary

Flashcards for BISC 120 Midterm 4 Review

Zygote

A diploid cell resulting from the fusion of two haploid gametes; a fertilized ovum.

Bilateria

A clade of animals with bilateral symmetry.

Reptiles

A class of tetrapod vertebrates comprising turtles, crocodilians, snakes, lizards, and tuataras.

Tiktaalik

An extinct genus of sarcopterygian (lobe-finned fish) from the late Devonian period, having features common to both fish and tetrapods.

Evolution of Humans

The evolutionary process that led to the emergence of modern humans.

Hominins

Members of the evolutionary lineage leading to modern humans.

Mammals

A class of endothermic amniotes distinguished by the possession of mammary glands, hair, and a neocortex.

Heterotrophic

An organism that cannot produce its own food, instead taking nutrition from other sources of organic carbon, mainly plant or animal matter.

Embryonic Tissues

Tissues that differentiate during zygote development, forming the germ layers.

Endoderm

The innermost germ layer of the embryo, forming the lining of the digestive tract.

Central Nervous System

The complex of nerve tissues that controls the activities of the body. In vertebrates it comprises the brain and spinal cord.

Mesoderm

The middle layer of the three germ layers in an embryo.

Ectoderm

The outermost germ layer of the embryo, giving rise to the outer covering of the animal.

Blastocoel

The fluid-filled cavity of a blastula.

Blastopore

The opening of the archenteron in the gastrula that develops into the mouth in protostomes and the anus in deuterostomes.

Archenteron

The primitive gut that forms during gastrulation.

Asymmetry

Lack of symmetry in an organism's body plan.

Bilateral Symmetry

Body plan in which only one plane can divide the animal into mirror-image halves.

Radial Symmetry

Body plan in which body parts radiate outward from a central point.

Coelom

A fluid or air filled space between the digestive tract and the outer body wall.

Coelomate

An animal with a 'true' body cavity lined by mesoderm.

Pseudocoelomate

An animal with a body cavity derived from the mesoderm and endoderm.

Acoelomate

An animal that lacks a body cavity.

Spiral Cleavage

A type of embryonic development in protostomes where the planes of cell division are diagonal to the vertical axis of the embryo.

Determinate Cleavage

Cleavage in which the developmental fate of each cell is determined very early.

Deuterostome Development

Development in which the blastopore becomes the anus; includes echinoderms and chordates.

Indeterminate Cleavage

Cell division where cells have not yet had their developmental fate determined.

Protostome

Developmental mode where the blastopore forms the mouth.

Deuterostome

Developmental mode where the blastopore forms the anus.

Metazoa

The clade comprising all animals.

Porifera

Sponges; the basal group of Metazoa.

Bilateria

The clade characterized by animals that are triploblastic and have bilateral symmetry.

Cnidarians

An animal group that has radial symmetry and is diploblastic.

Ctenophores

Comb jellies that are diploblastic and have radial symmetry.

Clade Bilateria

A group of animal phyla characterized by bilateral symmetry.

Acoela

A phylum that acts as a basal group for the clade Bilateria.

Chordata

A phylum within Bilateria that contains vertebrates.

Endoparasites

A parasite that lives within the body of its host.

Platyhelminthes

The phylum to which tapeworms (endoparasites) belong.

Lophotrochozoans

A clade of protostome animals including annelids and mollusks.

True Coelom

A body cavity completely lined with mesoderm.

Open Circulatory System

A circulatory system with hemolymph bathing the organs directly.

Molting Stages

Periodic shedding of the exoskeleton or outer layer.

Annelida

Segmented worms.

Trichinella spiralis

An organism that can cause trichinosis in humans.

Pseudocoelomate

An animal with a body cavity that is not completely lined by mesoderm.

Ecdysozoa

A clade of protostome animals that undergo ecdysis (molting).

Exoskeleton

A hard external skeleton.

Chitin

A structural polysaccharide found in many fungal cell walls and in the exoskeletons of all arthropods.

Gastrovascular Cavity

A digestive compartment with a single opening that serves as both mouth and anus.

Incomplete Metamorphosis

A type of metamorphosis in which the animal molts but doesn't undergo a complete transformation the nymph resembles the adult.

Complete Metamorphosis

The transformation of a larva into an adult that looks very different, and often functions very differently, in its environment.

Dorsal Hollow Nerve Cord

One of the four key characteristics of chordates; develops into the brain and spinal cord.

Notochord

A flexible rod that provides support in chordates.

Pharyngeal Slits/Clefts

One of the four key characteristics of chordates; used for suspension-feeding, gas exchange, or develop into parts of the ear, head, and neck.

Post-Anal Tail

A tail posterior to the anus, found in chordates.

Tunicates

The most basal chordates.

Vertebrates

Chordates with a backbone.

Gnathostomes

Vertebrates with jaws.

Osteichthyans

Bony fish.

Lobe-Fins

Fleshy-finned fish.

Tetrapods

Gnathostomes that have limbs.

Amniotes

Tetrapods with a terrestrially adapted egg.

Vertebrae

The series of bones that compose the backbone.

Mineralized Skeleton

A skeleton composed of mineralized tissues such as bone.

Lungs or Lung Derivatives

Structures used for gas exchange; evolved from swim bladders in bony fish.

Limbs with Digits

Appendages with fingers and/or toes; allowed tetrapods to move on land.

Amniotic Egg

An egg with specialized membranes that protect the embryo in a terrestrial environment.

Milk

A fluid rich in nutrients produced by mammary glands in mammals.

Lateral Line System

A sensory system along the sides of fish that detects vibrations.

Swim Bladder

An air-filled sac that helps bony fish control their buoyancy.

Amniotic Egg

An egg with four specialized membranes: the amnion, chorion, yolk sac, and allantois.

Amnion

A fluid-filled cavity that protects the embryo.

Chorion

Membrane that allows gas exchange.

Yolk Sac

Contains the yolk which provides nutrients for the embryo.

Allantois

A sac for waste disposal holds waste.

Platypus

A mammal that lacks nipples.

Marsupial

Mammal with a pouch.

Eutherian

Placental mammal.

Primates

Mammals with hands and feet adapted for grasping.

Lemurs

A type of primate; One of the three main groups of primates are the BBLLS

Tarsiers

A type of primate; One of the three main groups of primates are the tarsiers and anthropoids.

New World Monkeys

Monkeys found in the Americas.

Old World Monkeys

Monkeys found in Africa and Asia.

Prognathic Face

A face where the jaw is protruding.

Hominin

A member of the hominin clade; related to humans.

Bipedal Posture

The ability to walk upright on two legs.

Sexual Dimorphism

Physical difference between the sexes.

Learning

The modification of behavior as a result of specific experiences.

Imprinting

A behavior that includes learning and innate components that is generally irreversible.

Associative Learning

When animals associate one feature of the environment with another.

Problem Solving

A cognitive activity of devising a strategy to overcome an obstacle.

Social Learning

Learning through the observation of others.

Cognition

A Process of knowing that involves awareness, reasoning, recollection, and judgement.

Spatial Learning

Establishing memories based upon the spatial structure of the animals surroundings.

Classical Conditioning

An involuntary response is associated of a neutral stimulus.

Operant Conditioning

Certain behaviors are associated with good or bad entrances(rewards//consequences).

Fitness

Ability of an organism to survive and reproduce in its environment.

Altruism

Behavior that reduces an organism's individual fitness, but benefit/increase the fitness of others.