Untitled Flashcards Set

Hexapoda

A subphylum of arthropods with six legs, including insects.

Pancrustacea

A clade that includes hexapods and crustaceans.

Entognatha

A class within subphylum Hexapoda; mouthparts are enclosed within the head capsule.

Insecta

The most diverse class of arthropods, characterized by ectognathous mouthparts.

Entomology

The scientific study of insects.

Uniramous

Referring to limbs with a single branch or segment.

Tagmata

The distinct body regions in arthropods, specifically head, thorax, and abdomen.

Springtails

Small, wingless insects in the order Collembola that can jump using a furcula.

Ectognathous

Having mouthparts that are located outside the head capsule.

Exoskeleton

A rigid outer covering that provides support and protection for arthropods.

Chitin

A lightweight and waterproof material that makes up the exoskeleton of insects.

Compound eyes

Eyes made up of many small visual units, found in many insects.

Antennae

Sensory appendages on the heads of insects that can be used for touch and smell.

Alimentary canal

The digestive tract in insects, consisting of the foregut, midgut, and hindgut.

Malpighian tubules

The excretory structures in insects that help remove nitrogenous waste.

Circulatory system

In insects, a system where hemolymph is moved through the body by a tubular heart.

Spiracles

Small openings on the body surface of insects that function in gas exchange.

Metamorphosis

A change in form that occurs during the development of some insects.

Hemimetabolous metamorphosis

A type of incomplete metamorphosis where nymphs gradually develop into adults.

Holometabolous metamorphosis

A type of complete metamorphosis involving distinct larval, pupal, and adult stages.

Subclass Apterygota

A subclass of insects that undergo ametabolous development, such as silverfish.

Subclass Pterygota

A subclass of insects that possess wings and undergo metamorphosis.

Order Thysanura

An order within subclass Apterygota that includes silverfish.

Order Orthoptera

An order within subclass Pterygota that includes grasshoppers and crickets.

Order Hemiptera

An order of insects known as 'true bugs' with piercing sucking mouthparts.

Order Coleoptera

The order of beetles, characterized by their hard front wings.

Aerobic respiration

The process of producing cellular energy with oxygen, essential for many insects.

Aquatic insects

Insects adapted to live in water, often with specialized respiration systems.

Imaginal discs

Cell clusters in larval insects that differentiate into adult structures during metamorphosis.

Phylum Chaetognatha

Also known as arrow worms, marine predators with a streamlined shape.

Phylum Echinodermata

Marine coelomates with a spiny endoskeleton and a unique water vascular system.

Asteroidea

Class of echinoderms that includes sea stars.

Ophiuroidea

Class of echinoderms known as brittle stars, characterized by slender arms.

Echinoidea

Class of echinoderms that includes sea urchins and sand dollars.

Holothuroidea

Class of echinoderms known as sea cucumbers with soft bodies.

Crinoidea

Class of echinoderms that includes sea lilies and feather stars.

Ecology

The study of interactions between living organisms and their environment.

Biomes

Large ecological areas defined by climate, such as grasslands and forests.

Ecosystem

A community of organisms interacting with the abiotic environment.

Producers

Organisms that produce their own food, typically through photosynthesis.

Consumers

Organisms that rely on eating other organisms for energy.

Decomposers

Organisms that break down dead material and recycle nutrients back into the ecosystem.

Food chain

A linear network of who eats whom in an ecosystem.

Food web

A complex network of feeding relationships in an ecosystem.

Biogeochemical cycles

Natural pathways by which essential elements of living matter are circulated.

Pseudopodia

Temporary projections of eukaryotic cell membranes or cytoplasm.

Agnatha

A superclass of jawless fishes.

Gnathostomata

Superclass of jawed vertebrates.

Chondrichthyes

Class of cartilaginous fish, including sharks and rays.

Actinopterygii

Class of bony fish with ray-finned structures.

Sarcopterygii

Class of lobe-finned fish, including lungfish.

Gill arches

Cartilaginous structures that support the gills in fish.

Swim bladder

A gas-filled sac that helps bony fish maintain buoyancy.

Oviparous

Organisms that lay eggs in which the embryos develop externally.

Viviparous

Organisms that give birth to live young, with embryos developing internally.

Anadromous

Fish that migrate from the sea to freshwater to spawn.

Catadromous

Fish that live in freshwater and migrate to the ocean to spawn.

Osmoregulation

The process by which organisms regulate internal osmotic pressure.

Intersex

Condition in which an individual displays characteristics of both sexes.

Lateral line system

A sensory system in fish used to detect movement and vibrations in the water.

Weberian ossicles

Bone structures in some fish that enhance their ability to hear.

Ectothermic

Organisms whose body temperature varies with the environment.

Autotrophs

Organisms that can produce their own food from inorganic sources.

Heterotrophs

Organisms that obtain food by consuming other living things.

Pollution

Contamination of the environment, often caused by human activity.

Sustainable practices

Methods of using resources that do not deplete them for future generations.

Species diversity

The variety of different species present in an ecosystem.

Climax community

The stable, long-lasting community at the end of a successional series.

Pioneer species

Species that colonize a previously uninhabited area and begin the process of ecological succession.

Chlorophyll

The green pigment found in plants that is essential for photosynthesis.

Photosynthesis

The process by which green plants and some other organisms use sunlight to synthesize foods from carbon dioxide and water.

Microhabitat

A small-scale habitat within a larger ecosystem.

Niche

The role that a species plays in its ecosystem.

Competition

The struggle between organisms for the same resources in an ecosystem.

Mutualism

A symbiotic relationship where both species benefit.

Commensalism

A symbiotic relationship where one species benefits without harming the other.

Parasitism

A relationship in which one organism benefits at the expense of another.

Keystone species

A species that has a disproportionately large effect on its environment relative to its abundance.

Ecological succession

A gradual process of change in species composition in a given area.

Biosphere

The global sum of all ecosystems, where life exists on Earth.

Eutrophication

The process where water bodies become overly enriched with nutrients, leading to excessive plant growth.

Phenotype

The observable characteristics of an organism resulting from the interaction of its genotype with the environment.

Hybridization

The process of combining different varieties or species of organisms to create hybrids.

Extinction

The end of an organism or a group of organisms.

Endangered species

Species that are at risk of extinction.

Habitat fragmentation

The process by which habitat loss results in the division of large habitats into smaller, isolated patches.

Bioremediation

The use of living organisms to remove or neutralize contaminants from a polluted area.

Genetic diversity

The total number of genetic characteristics in the genetic makeup of a species.

Conservation biology

The study of the preservation of biodiversity.

Eco-region

A region with a specific ecological condition and characteristics.

Phytoplankton

Microscopic plants that drift in water bodies and are key producers in aquatic ecosystems.

Zooplankton

Microscopic animals that drift in water and feed on phytoplankton.

Overfishing

Removing fish from a body of water at a rate faster than the population can replenish.

Climate change

Long-term alteration of temperature and typical weather patterns in a place.

Carbon footprint

The total amount of greenhouse gases produced to directly and indirectly support human activities.

Balancing selection

Natural selection that favors heterozygotes over both homozygotes.

Biological control

The control of pests using other living organisms.

Natural selection

The process whereby organisms better adapted to their environment tend to survive and produce more offspring.

Ecological footprint

A measure of human demand on Earth's ecosystems and how much biologically productive land and water area is required to sustain their use.

Sustainable development

Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.