Biological Diversity: Animal Diversity

A set of flashcards targeting key vocabulary and concepts in animal diversity and biological diversity.

Heterotrophic

Organisms that obtain their food by consuming other organisms.

Multicellular

Organisms made up of more than one cell.

Absorptive nutrition

Nutrition derived from absorbing organic molecules from the environment.

Bilateria

Animals with bilateral symmetry.

Diploblastic

Animals that develop from two embryonic layers.

Triploblastic

Animals that develop from three embryonic layers.

Coelom

A true body cavity derived from mesoderm.

Pseudocoelom

A false body cavity found between the mesoderm and endoderm.

Cephalization

The development of a head and concentration of sensory organs.

Eumetazoa

Animals with true tissues.

Radial symmetry

Body plan symmetry around a central axis.

Anterior

The front end or head of an organism.

Posterior

The rear end or tail of an organism.

Blastopore

The opening that develops during the gastrulation stage of embryonic development.

Determinative cleavage

Cleavage where cell fate is set early in development.

Indeterminate cleavage

Cleavage that allows cells to develop into any type of cell.

Hox genes

Regulatory genes that control the body plan of an embryo.

Ecdysozoa

A group of animals characterized by molting.

Lophotrochozoa

A group of animals that includes organisms with a lophophore or trochophore larva.

Homologous structures

Structures that are similar in different organisms due to common ancestry.