Plant and Animal Evolution

This set of flashcards covers key vocabulary and concepts related to plant and animal evolution, providing definitions and explanations for important terms.

Chlorophytes

A group of green algae that gave rise to land plants.

Embryophytes

Another term for land plants, characterized by the presence of embryos.

Gametophyte

The haploid phase in the plant life cycle that produces gametes.

Sporophyte

The diploid phase in the plant life cycle that produces spores.

Angiosperms

Flowering plants that produce seeds enclosed in an ovary.

Gymnosperms

Vascular plants that produce

Liverworts

A type of nonvascular plant that is part of the Bryophytes.

Rhizoids

Structures in nonvascular plants that anchor them to substrates.

Echinoderms

Marine animals like sea stars, characterized by radial symmetry and a water vascular system.

Triploblastic

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

Bilateral symmetry

A body plan in which the left and right sides are mirror images.

Coelomate

Animals possessing a true body cavity.

Acoelomate

Animals lacking a body cavity.

Cuticle

A protective layer in land plants that prevents water loss.

Chitin

A structural component of fungal cell walls.

Viviparity

Development of the embryo inside the parent's body.

Polyp

The sessile form of cnidarians like corals, with a cylindrical shape.

Medusa

The free-swimming, bell-shaped form of cnidarians.

Cadherins

Cell adhesion proteins found in metazoans.

Alternation of generations

The life cycle of plants involving alternating haploid and diploid generations.

Pseudocelomate

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

Finite number of cells

Characteristic of multicellular organisms.