Diversity in Living Organisms

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering the full diversity of living organisms from five kingdoms to specific animal phyla and plant classifications as per the lecture notes.

Biodiversity

The diversity of life forms, referring to the variety found in a particular region.

Taxonomy

The branch of biology dealing with the identification, nomenclature, and classification of organisms.

Father of Taxonomy

Carolus Linnaeus.

Five Kingdom Classification

A system proposed by H. Whittaker classifying organisms into Monera, Protista, Fungi, Plantae, and Animalia.

Taxonomic Hierarchy

The levels of classification including Kingdom, Phylum/Division, Class, Order, Family, Genus, and Species.

Kingdom Monera

Prokaryotic, unicellular organisms without a defined nucleus; includes bacteria, mycoplasma, and blue-green algae.

Kingdom Protista

Eukaryotic unicellular organisms that may use hair-like cilia or whip-like flagella for locomotion; includes Amoeba and Paramecium.

Kingdom Fungi

Eukaryotic, multicellular heterotrophs with cell walls composed of chitin; includes yeasts, molds, and mushrooms.

Lichens

Organisms formed by a symbiotic relationship between fungi and cyanobacteria.

Kingdom Plantae

Eukaryotic, multicellular autotrophs with cell walls composed of cellulose that use chlorophyll for photosynthesis.

Algae

Simple, thalloid, autotrophic aquatic organisms such as Chlorophyceae (green), Phaeophyceae (brown), and Rhodophyceae (red).

Agar

A substance obtained from Gelidium and Gracilaria used to grow microbes and in the preparation of ice-creams and jellies.

Bryophytes

Known as the 'Amphibians of the plant kingdom,' they lack vascular tissue and live in damp, humid localities.

Pteridophyta

Called 'botanical snakes,' these are cryptogams (do not produce flowers/seeds) that possess vascular tissues like xylem and phloem.

Gymnosperms

Plants that bear naked seeds without fruits or flowers; examples include Pine and Cycas.

Mycorrhiza

The symbolic association between a fungus and the roots of higher plants like Pinus.

Angiosperms

Flower-bearing plants where seeds develop inside an ovary that modifies into a fruit.

Cotyledons

Structures in plant embryos known as 'seed leaves.'

Dicotyledons

Angiosperms with seeds having two cotyledons, reticulate venation in leaves, and tap roots.

Monocotyledons

Angiosperms with single cotyledonous seeds, parallel venation, and adventitious roots.

Kingdom Animalia

Eukaryotic, multicellular heterotrophs that lack a cell wall; includes fish, insects, and humans.

Bilateral Symmetry

A body plan where an organism can be divided into identical right and left mirror images by a single vertical plane.

Radial Symmetry

A body plan where any plane passing through the central axis divides the organism into two identical halves.

Diploblastic

Organisms with cells arranged in two embryonic layers: external ectoderm and internal endoderm.

Triploblastic

Organisms with cells arranged in three embryonic layers: ectoderm, mesoderm, and endoderm.

Coelomates

Complex organisms having a true body cavity lined by mesoderm from all sides.

Acoelomates

Simple organisms having no body cavity.

Phylum Porifera

Commonly called sponges, these are non-motile, asymmetrical marine animals with a cellular level of organization and pores called ostia.

Phylum Cnidaria (Coelenterata)

Radially symmetrical, diploblastic aquatic animals showing tissue level organization; body forms include polyp and medusa.

Phylum Ctenophora

Commonly known as sea walnuts or comb jellies, these marine organisms exhibit bioluminescence and use comb plates for locomotion.

Phylum Platyhelminthes

Flatworms that are bilaterally symmetrical, triploblastic, and acoelomate; they use flame cells for osmoregulation and excretion.

Phylum Nematoda (Aschelminthes)

Roundworms that are bilateral, triploblastic, and pseudocoelomate; some cause diseases like elephantiasis.

Phylum Annelida

Triploblastic, metamerically segmented coelomate animals; use nephridia for excretion and parapodia for swimming (in Nereis).

Phylum Arthropoda

The largest phylum including insects; characterized by jointed appendages, chitinous exoskeletons, and malpighian tubules for excretion.

Phylum Mollusca

The second largest animal phylum; animals have a calcareous shell, a muscular foot for locomotion, and a visceral hump.

Phylum Echinodermata

Spiny-skinned animals with an endoskeleton of calcium carbonate and a water vascular system featuring tube feet for locomotion.

Phylum Hemichordata

Cylindrical-bodied marine animals composed of an anterior proboscis, a collar, and a long trunk; use a proboscis gland for excretion.

Phylum Vertebrata

Chordates possessing a true vertebral column, internal skeleton, ventral muscular heart, and kidneys.

Homoiothermous

Warm-blooded organisms that maintain a constant body temperature irrespective of the environment.

Poikilothermous

Cold-blooded organisms that change their body temperature according to the surrounding environment.

Class Cyclostomata

Jawless ectoparasites on fishes with a sucking circular mouth and an elongated eel-like body.

Class Pisces

Cold-blooded aquatic animals with streamlined bodies, scales, gills, and a two-chambered heart.

Class Amphibia

Animals found on land and water with a three-chambered heart and skin containing mucus glands; they lack scales.

Class Reptilia

Cold-blooded animals characterized by creeping/crawling locomotion and bodies covered by scales or scutes.

Class Aves

Warm-blooded, four-chambered heart animals with feathers, wings, and a digestive system containing a crop and gizzard.

Class Mammalia

Warm-blooded animals with four-chambered hearts, mammary glands, hairs on skin, and external ears (pinnae).

Binomial Nomenclature

A system introduced by Carolus Linnaeus where every organism has a two-part name consisting of the Genus (capitalized) and Species (lowercase).