Biodiversity and Animal Kingdom Characteristics

A set of vocabulary flashcards covering key concepts and characteristics related to biodiversity and the animal kingdom.

Biodiversity

The scope of variation among living organisms.

Whittaker classification system

A system for classifying organisms into five kingdoms plus one (archaea).

Eubacteria

A division of Kingdom Monera which includes common bacteria.

Extremophiles

Organisms, such as archaea, that thrive in extreme environments.

Heterotrophic

Characteristic of animals; they are unable to make their own food.

Determinate growth

Limitation in growth size, as seen in animals, in contrast to plants which exhibit indeterminate growth.

Phylum Porifera

Includes sponges; characterized by the presence of pores and a para-gastral cavity.

Nematocysts

Stinging cells found in Cnidaria used for capturing food and defense.

Radial symmetry

Symmetry around a central axis, as seen in animals like jellyfish and corals.

Acoelomate

Organisms with no body cavity, such as flatworms of Phylum Platyhelminthes.

Proglottids

Segments of tapeworms that contain both male and female reproductive organs.

Pseudocoelomate

Organisms with a false body cavity, characteristic of nematodes.

Coelomate

Organisms with a true body cavity, as seen in annelids.

Oligochaeta

A class of annelids that includes earthworms.

Gastropoda

A class of Mollusca that includes snails, characterized by a single shell.

Filter feeders

Organisms that feed by filtering food particles from water, such as bivalves.

Arthropoda

The most successful animal phylum, characterized by jointed legs and true segmentation.

Insecta

A class of arthropods characterized by three pairs of legs.

Myriapoda

A subphylum of arthropods that includes centipedes and millipedes.

Cephalopoda

A class of Mollusca known for their intelligence and complex behaviors, including squids and octopuses.