Diversity in Living Organisms Lecture Notes

Comprehensive flashcards covering taxonomy, the five kingdoms, plant and animal classification, and biological nomenclature based on lecture notes.

Biodiversity

The variety of life forms found in a particular region.

Taxonomy

A branch of biology which deals with identification, nomenclature, and classification of organisms.

Carolus Linnaeus

The scientist known as the father of taxonomy who introduced binomial nomenclature and the two-kingdom classification system.

H. Whittaker

The scientist who classified organisms into five groups: Monera, Protista, Fungi, Plantae, and Animalia.

Kingdom Monera

A kingdom of unicellular, prokaryotic organisms that do not have a defined nucleus and include bacteria, mycoplasma, and blue-green algae.

Kingdom Protista

A kingdom of unicellular, eukaryotic organisms that may use cilia or flagella for locomotion and include Amoeba and Paramecium.

Kingdom Fungi

A kingdom of multicellular, eukaryotic heterotrophs with cell walls composed of chitin.

Lichens

A symbiotic relationship between fungi and cyanobacteria.

Kingdom Plantae

A kingdom of multicellular, eukaryotic autotrophs that use chlorophyll for photosynthesis and have cell walls made of cellulose.

Chlorophyceae

A group of algae commonly known as green algae, such as Chlamydomonas and Volvox.

Phaeophyceae

A group of algae commonly known as brown algae, such as Sargassum and Fucus.

Rhodophyceae

A group of algae commonly known as red algae, such as Gracilaria and Gelidium.

Agar

A substance obtained from Gelidium and Gracilaria used to grow microbes and in the preparation of ice-creams and jellies.

Chlorella

A type of algae used as a food supplement for space travellers.

Bryophytes

They are known as the 'Amphibians of the plant kingdom' and occur in damp, humid, and shaded localities.

Pteridophyta

Referred to as 'botanical snakes' or 'snakes of the Plant kingdom,' these are cryptogams that possess vascular tissues but do not produce seeds.

Gymnosperms

Plants that bear naked seeds without fruits or flowers and are often heterosporous.

Mycorrhiza

The association between a fungus and the roots of higher plants like Pinus.

Sequoia sempervirens

Known as the red giant wood, it is recognized as the tallest gymnosperm.

Angiosperms

Flower-bearing plants where seeds develop inside an ovary that modifies into a fruit.

Cotyledons

Structures within plant embryos in seeds also referred to as 'seed leaves.'

Dicots

Angiosperms with seeds having two cotyledons, reticulate venation, and tap roots.

Monocots

Angiosperms with single cotyledonous seeds, parallel venation, and adventitious roots.

Double fertilization

The most characteristic feature of angiosperms.

Kingdom Animalia

A kingdom of multicellular, eukaryotic heterotrophs that lack cell walls.

Bilateral Symmetry

A body plan where an organism can be divided into identical right and left halves by a single vertical plane.

Radial Symmetry

A body plan where any plane passing through the central axis divides the organism into identical halves.

Diploblastic Organisation

An arrangement of cells in two embryonic layers: an external ectoderm and an internal endoderm.

Triploblastic Organisation

An arrangement of cells in three embryonic layers: ectoderm, mesoderm, and endoderm.

Coelomates

Complex organisms having a true body cavity lined by mesoderm from all sides.

Pseudo coelomate

Organisms with a false coelom containing pouches of mesoderm scattered between the endoderm and ectoderm.

Phylum Porifera

Commonly called sponges, these are non-motile, asymmetrical animals with a cellular level of organization and pores called ostia.

Phylum Cnidaria

Also called Coelenterata, these are aquatic, radially symmetrical animals that exhibit polyp and medusa body forms.

Ctenophora

Commonly known as sea walnuts or comb jellies, they possess bioluminescence and use comb plates for locomotion.

Platyhelminthes

Triploblastic, acoelomate flatworms with dorso-ventrally flattened bodies and flame cells for excretion.

Nematoda

Triploblastic, pseudocoelomate roundworms that often act as parasites, such as those causing elephantiasis.

Annelida

Triploblastic, coelomate animals that are metamerically segmented and use nephridia for osmoregulation.

Arthropoda

The largest phylum of animals, characterized by jointed appendages, a chitinous exoskeleton, and malpighian tubules for excretion.

Mollusca

The second largest animal phylum, featuring a muscular foot, visceral hump, and often a calcareous shell.

Echinodermata

Marine animals with an endoskeleton of calcium carbonate and a water vascular system featuring tube feet.

Protochordata

Bilateral, triploblastic, coelomate animals with a body composed of a proboscis, collar, and trunk.

Vertebrata

Chordates that possess a notochord during the embryonic period which is replaced by a bony vertebral column in adults.

Poikilothermous

Cold-blooded organisms that change their body temperature according to the surrounding temperature.

Homoiothermous

Warm-blooded organisms that maintain a constant body temperature irrespective of the outside environment.

Cyclostomata

Jawless vertebrates with sucking and circular mouths, such as lampreys and hagfish.

Class Pisces

Cold-blooded aquatic animals with streamlined bodies, scales, and a two-chambered heart.

Class Amphibia

Animals found in water and on land with three-chambered hearts and mucus glands in the skin.

Class Reptilia

Cold-blooded animals that move by creeping or crawling and possess a three-chambered heart (except crocodiles).

Class Aves

Warm-blooded animals with feathers, modified forelimbs into wings, and four-chambered hearts.

Class Mammalia

Warm-blooded animals with mammary glands, hair on skin, and external ears called pinnae.