Animal Diversity

Flashcards covering key terms and concepts related to animal diversity and invertebrate biology.

Animals that lack a backbone.

Invertebrates

Also known as comb jellies, these are bioluminescent marine animals that possess two long sticky tentacles.

Ctenophores

A central cavity in some animals where digestion occurs.

Gastrovascular Cavity

Organisms that have both male and female reproductive organs.

Hermaphrodites

Specialized cells in sponges that trap and eat small particles and plankton.

Choanocytes

Specialized stinging cells found in cnidarians like jellyfish, containing nematocysts.

Cnidocytes

The outermost layer of cells in the embryonic development of cnidarians.

Ectoderm

A ciliary feeding device found in certain groups of animals.

Lophophore

Flatworms, which lack specialized respiratory or circulatory systems.

Platyhelminthes

The rudimentary excretory system found in flatworms.

Protonephridia

Excretory organs in annelids that remove waste from the body.

Metanephridia

Marine animals like sea stars and sea urchins, characterized by secondary radial symmetry.

Echinoderms

A flexible rod found in chordates, between the digestive tract and nerve cord.

Notochord

Structures found in chordates that can develop into gills.

Pharyngeal Slits

Invertebrate chordates with a sessile adult form and tadpole-like larvae.

Tunicates

The concentration of sensory organs and nervous tissue at one end of the body, forming a head.

Cephalization

A developmental process involving a significant change in an organism's form.

Metamorphosis

A subphylum of arthropods characterized by having six legs.

Hexapods

A tough substance that makes up the exoskeleton of arthropods.

Chitin

A fluid-filled body cavity found in many animals, including annelids.

Coelom

A reproductive strategy where fertilization occurs outside the female's body.

External Fertilization