bio 3

Heterotrophic

An organism that cannot produce its own food and relies on consuming other organisms for energy and nutrients.

Choanoflagellates

Single-celled eukaryotic organisms considered the closest living relatives of animals, known for their collar of microvilli and a flagellum.

Choanocytes

Specialized cells in sponges responsible for creating water currents and capturing food particles.

Porocytes

Tubular cells in sponges that form pores, regulating water flow into the spongocoel.

Amoebocytes

Mobile cells within sponges that perform various functions including nutrient transport and waste removal.

Sclerocytes

Cells in sponges that produce spicules, which form the sponge's structural skeleton.

Spicules

Needle-like or rod-shaped structural components in sponges that provide support.

Spongocytes

Cells in sponges responsible for producing spongin, contributing to elasticity.

Secondary Metabolites

Chemical compounds produced by organisms that are involved in defense and have potential medicinal properties.

Trade-Offs

Balancing different traits or behaviors in an organism that enhance survival in one way but may reduce efficiency in another.

Sessile

Describes organisms that are fixed in place and cannot move, such as sponges.

Benthic

Refers to organisms that live on or near the bottom of aquatic environments.

Pelagic

Refers to organisms that live in the open water column of aquatic environments.

Polyp

A sessile tubular body form in Cnidarians, with a mouth and tentacles facing upward.

Medusa

A free-swimming, bell-shaped body form in Cnidarians, characterized by a downward-facing mouth.

Gastrovascular Cavity

A central digestive compartment in Cnidarians that functions in digestion and nutrient distribution.

Nematocyst

A specialized stinging organelle contained in cnidocytes, used for defense and prey capture.

Cnidocyte

A specialized stinging cell in Cnidarians that houses nematocysts.

Zooxanthellae

Photosynthetic, symbiotic algae that live within the tissues of certain marine animals, particularly corals.

Coral Bleaching

A stress response in corals where they expel their symbiotic algae, leading to loss of color and potential death.

Complex Life Cycle

A life cycle involving multiple stages and often multiple hosts, typical in parasitic flatworms.

Trematode Life Cycle

Includes stages in both an intermediate host (like a snail) and a definitive host (a vertebrate) for parasitic flatworms.

Cestode Life Cycle

A life cycle that typically involves an intermediate host and a definitive host for tapeworms.

Scolex

The head-like structure of a cestode containing hooks and suckers for attachment to the host's intestinal wall.

Proglottid

Segments of a tapeworm's body containing reproductive organs, produced near the scolex.

Metazoa

A major group of multicellular animals characterized by specialized tissues.

Eumetazoa

Subkingdom of Metazoa that includes all multicellular animals with true tissues.

Radial Symmetry

Body parts arranged around a central axis, allowing equal access to the environment.

Bilateral Symmetry

Body can be divided into two mirror-image halves along a single plane.

Ectoderm

The outermost of the three primary germ layers in the embryo, developing into skin and the nervous system.

Mesoderm

The middle germ layer in triploblastic organisms, forming muscles, bones, and internal organs.

Endoderm

The innermost germ layer, giving rise to the lining of the digestive tract and internal organs.

Diploblastic

Organisms with two germ layers: ectoderm and endoderm.

Triploblastic

Organisms with three germ layers: ectoderm, mesoderm, and endoderm.

Coelom

A fluid-filled body cavity lined by mesodermal tissue.

Coelomate

Animals with a true coelom entirely lined by mesodermal tissue.

Acoelomate

Animals without a coelom, having solid tissue between the digestive tract and body wall.

Lophophore

A horseshoe-shaped fold with ciliated tentacles around the mouth, used for feeding.

Zooid

An individual animal in a colony functioning semi-independently.

Alimentary Canal

The complete digestive tract extending from mouth to anus in many animals.

Trochophore

A larval stage in certain invertebrates characterized by bands of cilia.

Proboscis

A long, tubular organ used for feeding in some invertebrates.

Cetae (Setae)

Bristle-like structures on annelids used for traction and movement.

Septum

Internal walls in segmented animals that divide the body into compartments.

Soil Cycling

The process by which organic material is broken down in soil, maintaining soil health.

Detritivore

An organism that feeds on dead organic matter, aiding in decomposition.

Parapodia

Paired lateral extensions in polychaete annelids used for movement and gas exchange.

Environment of the Deep Sea

Characterized by high pressure, low temperatures, and no sunlight.

Biomass

The total mass of all living organisms in a given area or ecosystem.

Whale Fall Communities

Ecosystems that form around the carcasses of dead whales, supporting a diverse range of organisms.

Haemophagic (Hematophagic)

Describes organisms that feed on the blood of other animals.

Hirudin

A naturally occurring anticoagulant protein found in leech saliva.

Infaunal

Describes organisms that live within the substrate of a marine environment.

Radula

A toothed, chitinous ribbon used by mollusks to scrape or cut food.

Magnetite

An iron oxide mineral sometimes found in the radula of certain mollusks.

Chitin

A tough, flexible polysaccharide found in exoskeletons and other invertebrate structures.

Mantle

A significant body structure in mollusks that can secrete the shell.

Incurrent Siphon

A structure that draws water into the mantle cavity of certain mollusks.

Excurrent Siphon

A structure through which water exits the mantle cavity after circulation.

Gills

Respiratory organs in aquatic mollusks located in the mantle cavity.

Ink Sac

A gland in cephalopods producing ink as a defense mechanism.

Biostratigraphy

A branch of geology using fossil distribution to date and correlate strata.

Nacre Layer (Aragonite Crystals)

An iridescent layer inside some mollusk shells made of aragonite crystals.

Invasive Species

Non-native species introduced to new ecosystems that disrupt local biodiversity.

Ballast Water

Water taken into ships' ballast tanks that can introduce invasive species.

Ecdysis

The process of shedding or molting the exoskeleton.

Metamorphosis

A developmental process involving significant transformation between juvenile and adult stages.

Instar

A developmental stage between molts in arthropods.

Nematode Life Cycle

The lifecycle involving larval development within host tissues and maturation after ingestion.

Chelicera

Specialized mouthparts in certain arthropods for grasping and injecting venom.

Head, Thorax vs. Cephalothorax

Body segments in arthropods; cephalothorax is a fusion of head and thorax.

Abdomen

The posterior body segment housing digestive and reproductive systems in many animals.

Spinnerets

Silk-spinning organs in spiders used to produce silk.

Silk Gland

A gland producing silk proteins.

Food Web

A complex network of interconnected food chains within an ecosystem.

Pollination

The process by which pollen is transferred to allow fertilization.

Forensic Entomology

The study of insects in criminal investigations to estimate time of death.

Disease Vectors

Organisms that transmit pathogens from one host to another.

Zygote

A fertilized egg cell that is the first cell of a new organism.

Blastula

An early stage of embryonic development, a hollow ball of cells.

Gastrulation

A developmental phase where the blastula reorganizes into three germ layers.

Developmental Differences between Protostomes and Deuterostomes

Differences in fate of the blastopore and cleavage patterns.

Radial Cleavage

Embryonic cell division in deuterostomes, resulting in cells stacking directly.

Spiral Cleavage

Cell division in protostomes, creating a spiral arrangement.

Blastopore Fate

The fate of the blastopore as mouth in protostomes and anus in deuterostomes.

Enterocoelous

A method of coelom formation in deuterostomes.

Schizocoelous

A method of coelom formation in protostomes.

Madreporite

A porous plate in echinoderms that serves as an entry point for seawater.

Water Vascular System

A hydraulic system in echinoderms used for movement and feeding.

Ampulla of the Water Vascular System

Muscular sacs in echinoderms that store and regulate water flow.

Tube Feet

Flexible appendages in echinoderms used in locomotion and feeding.

Keystone Species

A species with a large effect on its ecosystem relative to its abundance.

Notochord

A flexible structure providing skeletal support in chordate embryos.

Dorsal Hollow Nerve Cord

A tubular structure located dorsal to the notochord, developing into the CNS.

Post-anal Tail

A tail extending beyond the anus, present in all chordate embryos.

Pharyngeal Gill Slits (or Clefts)

Openings in the pharyngeal region found in all chordate embryos.

Cranium

A protective structure encasing the brain in vertebrates.

Vertebral Column

A series of bones protecting the spinal cord in vertebrates.

Jaws and Their Origins from Pharyngeal Gill Arch Cartilage

Jaws evolved from modifications of pharyngeal arches in vertebrates.

Mineralized Skeleton

The presence of bones hardened with minerals such as calcium phosphate.