The Science of Zoology

These flashcards cover key vocabulary and concepts from the lecture notes on zoology.

Zoology

The study of animal life.

Heterotrophs

Organisms that rely on other organisms for food sources.

Autotrophs

Organisms that produce their own food, primarily plants.

Prokaryotic cells

Cells that lack a nucleus.

Eukaryotic cells

Cells that contain a nucleus.

Metabolism

The set of chemical reactions that occur in living organisms to maintain life.

Evolution

The change of an organism over time influenced by adaptation for survival.

Natural Selection

The process where organisms more suited to their environment tend to survive and reproduce.

Homologous Structures

Anatomical features in different species that share a common ancestry.

Fossil Evidence

Remnants of past life that support the idea that life changes through time.

Mitosis

The process of cell division where a single nucleus divides into two identical nuclei.

Meiosis

The process of cell division that produces sex cells (sperm and eggs).

Gametes

Reproductive cells (sperm and egg) that unite during fertilization.

Asexual Reproduction

Production of offspring without the fusion of gametes, typically from one parent.

Sexual Reproduction

Production of offspring by combining genetic material from two parents.

Embryogenesis

The development of an embryo from fertilization to the formation of a mature organism.

Phylogeny

The evolutionary history and relationship among species.

Speciation

The formation of new and distinct species in the course of evolution.

Gene Mutation

A change in the DNA sequence that may lead to different traits.

Darwin's Theory of Evolution

Suggests that species evolve over time through natural selection.

Protoplasmic Grade of Organization

The simplest level of organization where cells carry out life functions.

Radial Symmetry

Body plan in which body parts are arranged around a central axis.

Bilateral Symmetry

Body plan where left and right sides are mirror images of each other.

Morphogenesis

The biological process that causes a cell, tissue, or organism to develop its shape.

Cytokinesis

The process during cell division in which the cytoplasm divides to form two daughter cells.

Vacuole

A fluid-filled sac in cells that stores substances and maintains cell shape.

Plasma Membrane

A protective barrier that controls the movement of substances in and out of the cell.