Evolutionary Change and Biodiversity Practice Flashcards

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering biological classification, kingdoms, animal phyla traits, and evolutionary milestones of chordates and non-chordates.

Chemical Evolution

The period of 1 billion years of chemical change that occurred to form the first cells.

Biological Evolution

The period of approximately 3.7 billion years of biological change following the formation of the first cells.

Taxa

The levels of classification for biodiversity, including domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus, and species.

Binomial Nomenclature

The formal method of naming species using a two-term combination of genus and species.

Domain

The least specific taxa that covers broad categories, such as Eukarya which includes all organisms with a nucleus.

Species

The most specific taxa where organisms share the most similarities in common.

Archaebacteria

A domain of ancient bacteria including organisms such as methanogens, halophiles, thermophiles, and psychrophiles.

Eubacteria

A domain of true bacteria including bacteria, cyanobacteria, and actinobacteria.

Eukaryota

A domain consisting of four kingdoms: Protista, Fungi, Plantae, and Animalia.

Prokaryotic Cells

Cells that lack a nucleus and have DNA found in a circular nucleoid.

Eukaryotic Cells

Cells that contain a nucleus and have DNA organized into chromosomes.

Unicellular

An organism made of only one cell.

Multicellular

An organism made of multiple cells.

Peptidoglycan

A substance used for structure and protection found in the cell walls of eubacteria.

Chitin

A substance found in the cell walls of fungi.

Cellulose

A substance found in the cell walls of plants that provides structure, support, and protection.

Photosynthesis

The process which converts sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide into oxygen and energy in the form of sugar.

Chemosynthesis

The process used by bacteria in dark places to make energy from chemical reactions using hydrogen gas, hydrogen sulfide, or methane.

Absorption

The nutritional process of taking in organic compounds from the environment.

Ingestion

The process of taking material, such as food, into the digestive system.

Motility

The ability of a cell or organism to move independently by expending energy, often using cilia or flagella.

Asexual Reproduction

A reproductive method involving only one parent that produces identical offspring.

Sexual Reproduction

A reproductive method involving two parents and gametes that produce genetically different offspring.

Protista

A kingdom in the Eukarya domain consisting of organisms like amoebae, algae, and slime molds that lack a cell wall.

Fungi

A kingdom of eukaryotes that includes mushrooms, yeast, and mold, characterized by cell walls made of chitin.

Plantae

A kingdom of multicellular eukaryotes that use photosynthesis and have cell walls made of cellulose.

Animalia

A kingdom of multicellular eukaryotes that use ingestion for nutritional purposes and lack cell walls.

Viruses

Entities excluded from kingdom classification because they lack organelles and can only reproduce or perform metabolic functions inside a host cell.

Dichotomous Keys

Tools used to identify organisms based on observable traits, consisting of a series of statements with two choices at each step.

Phylogeny

A system that classifies organisms based on evolutionary relatedness using homologous structures, fossil records, and molecular analyses.

Endosymbiosis

The theory that eukaryotic cells resulted from one prokaryotic cell engulfing another smaller prokaryotic cell without eating it.

Clade

A group of organisms that includes a single ancestor and all of its descendants, representing an unbroken line of descent.

Non-chordate

Animals that do not have a rod-like structure called a notochord; also known as invertebrates.

Asymmetrical

A body plan with no symmetry where two sides or halves are not the same, such as in a sea sponge.

Radial Symmetry

A body plan where symmetry is arranged around a central axis, such as in a starfish.

Bilateral Symmetry

A body plan arranged so that the organism can be divided into two equal halves, such as in an earthworm.

Diploblastic

Organisms that develop from two germ layers: the endoderm and the ectoderm.

Triploblastic

Organisms that develop from three germ layers: the endoderm, mesoderm, and ectoderm.

Coelom

The main body cavity which surrounds and contains the digestive tract.

Acoelomate

An organism that lacks a coelom, such as a planaria.

Pseudocoelomate

An organism with a fake coelom located between the body wall and the gut, such as a nematode.

Eucoelomate

An organism with a true coelom, such as a snail.

Protostome

An organism in which the mouth develops from the primary embryonic opening.

Deuterostome

An organism in which the anus develops from the primary embryonic opening.

Intracellular Digestion

A digestive process where food is broken down within the cell, as seen in jellyfish and flatworms.

Extracellular Digestion

A digestive process where food is broken down outside the cell, as seen in hydra and earthworms.

Cephalization

An evolutionary trend concentrating sense organs and nervous control at the anterior end of the body, forming a head and brain.

Sessile

An organism that does not move, such as a sponge or hydra.

True Segmentation

A body plan consisting of repeated segments, as seen in earthworms and insects.

Molting

The process of shedding an external layer, such as skin or hair.

Notochord

A long rod that supports the body of a chordate and becomes the vertebrae in most species.

Dorsal Hollow Nerve Cord

A feature shared by all chordates that eventually becomes the central nervous system.

Pharyngeal Slits

Openings in the throat used for feeding and breathing; they become the pharynx in humans.

Post-anal Tail

A structure that forms in the embryo of chordates and extends past the anus.

Exotherm

A cold-blooded animal that cannot regulate its own body temperature and must rely on the environment.

Endotherm

A warm-blooded animal that can maintain a constant body temperature and adapt to many different environments.

Amniotic Egg

An egg with a shell that provides protection while allowing for gas exchange, enabling life to develop on land.

Porifera

An animal phylum characterized by asymmetrical symmetry, no coelom, and hermaphroditic reproduction, such as sponges.

Arthropoda

An animal phylum characterized by bilateral symmetry, true coelom, and one-way flow digestion, such as insects and lobsters.

Operculum

A structure in bony fish that protects the gills and assists in breathing.