extracellular digestion
Digestion that takes place outside body cells; enzymes released to the environment break down nearby organic matter into particles the fungus can absorb (absorptive heterotrophy)
Hypha (pl. hyphae)
Any of the threadlike filaments that form the mycelium of a fungus, or of many Oomycota
Mycelium
A network of branching hyphae that constitutes the body of a multicellular fungus, or of many Oomycota.
septum (pl. septa); septate
A thin partition or cross wall that separates body segments
Chitin
A polysaccharide that contains nitrogen and is present in the cell walls of fungi and the exoskeletons of arthropods.
coenocytic
Condition in which a single cell has many nuclei.
Haustorium (pl. haustoria)
The hyphal tip of a parasitic fungus that penetrates a host plant and absorbs nutrients from it
syngamy
Union of haploid cells or nuclei from different individuals; consists of two stages separate in time (plasmogamy and karyogamy)
plasmogamy
the union of the cytoplasms of two parent mycelia
karyogamy
Fusion of two haploid nuclei to form a diploid nucleus
dikaryon (dikaryotic)
The life stage in certain fungi in which a cell contains two genetically distinct haploid nuclei
meiospore
Spore produced by meiosis; haploid.
mitospore
A spore produced asexually by mitosis; diploid
Sporangiospore
A form of asexual spore in fungi; enclosed in a sac
Conidiospores
A form of asexual spore in fungi; not enclosed by a spore-bearing sac
Zygosporangia (Zygospore)
A multinucleate, thick-walled sexual spore formed from the fusion of the cytoplasm of the mycelia of two neighboring fungi; many zygotes are formed here
gametangium
In certain plants and fungi, a cell or organ in which gametes are produced.
Mycorrhizae
Symbiotic relationship between the mycelium of a fungus and the roots of certain plants
Endomycorrhizae
A mycorrhiza in which the fungal hyphae penetrate into cells of the root.
Arbuscules
The branched hyphae of endomycorrhizae.
Ectomycorrhizae
Mycorrhizae that grow between and around the roots of trees and shrubs but do not enter root cells
fruiting body
In some fungi, a stalked, spore producing structure such as a mushroom
vegetative body
unicellular or multicellular thallus
ascus (pl. asci)
A saclike cell in ascomycetes (sac fungi) in which meiosis gives rise to haploid sexual spores (meiospores)
ascocarp
In ascomycete (sac) fungi, a reproductive body that bears or contains asci.
hymenium
fertile hyphal cell layer of the ascocarp; contains dikaryotic saclike cells called asci
Apothecium
cup-shaped ascocarp with the hymenium lining the cup and fully exposed on the outer surface
Perithecium
a "closed" flask-like ascocarp having a narrow opening, usually at the top
Cleistothecium
A completely closed ascocarp
Sporangia(um)
A multicellular organ in fungi and plants in which meiosis occurs and haploid cells develop.
Conidium (pl. conidia)
An asexual spore produced by many species of ascomycetes
basidium (pl. basidia)
A small, club-shaped structure in which sexual spores of basidiomycetes arise.
basidiocarp
A fruiting body of a basidiomycete; mushrooms are examples.
mold
Asexual, spore-producing stage of many multicellular fungi
yeast
A single-celled fungus that reproduces by budding or fission
lichen
A single vegetative body that is the result of an association between a fungus and a photosynthetic partner, often an alga.
Decomposer
A small organism, such as a bacterium or fungus, that feeds on the remains of dead organisms, breaking down complex biological molecules or structures into simpler raw materials.
radial symmetry
A body plan of organisms in which structures are arranged regularly around a central axis, like spokes radiating out from the center of a wheel.
bilateral symmetry
The body plan of animals in which the body can be divided into mirror image right and left halves by a plane passing through the midline of the body.
blastula
The hollow ball of cells that is the result of cleavage divisions in an early embryo.
gastula
The developmental stage resulting when the cells of the blastula migrate and divide once cleavage is complete
Diploblastic
An animal body plan in which adult structures arise from only two cell layers, the ectoderm and the endoderm.
Triploblastic
An animal body plan in which adult structures arise from three primary germ layers, endoderm, mesoderm, and ectoderm.
Ectoderm
The outermost of the three primary germ layers of an embryo, which develops into epidermis and nervous tissue
mesoderm
The middle layer of the three primary germ layers of an animal embryo, from which the muscular, skeletal, vascular, and connective tissues develop.
Endoderm
The innermost of the three primary germ layers of an embryo, which develops into the gastrointestinal tract and, in some animals, the respiratory organs
Acoelomate
A body plan of bilaterally symmetrical animals that lack a body cavity between the gut and the body wall.
Pseudocoelomate
A body plan of bilaterally symmetrical animals with a body cavity that lacks a complete lining derived from mesoderm.
Coelomate
A body plan of bilaterally symmetrical animals that have a coelom
coelom
A fluid-filled body cavity in bilaterally symmetrical animals that is completely lined with derivatives of mesoderm.
hydrostatic skeleton
A structure consisting of muscles and fluid that, by themselves, provide support for the animal or part of the animal; no rigid support, such as a bone, is involved.
Choanocytes
One of the inner layers of flagellated cells lining the body cavity of a sponge.
Spicules
Found in sponges, these consist of inorganic materials and support the animal; can be chalk, silica, or organic material
mesohyl
in a sponge, a gelatinous extracellular region between the two layers of cells
Amoebocytes
Cells that move using pseudopods and perform different functions in different animals
Mesoglea
in cnidarians, the jellylike material located between the ectoderm and the endoderm
Cnidocytes
A prey-capturing and defensive cell in the epidermis of cnidarians; stinging and look like small harpoons
Nematocysts
specialized organelles within cnidocytes that eject a stinging thread containing toxins to be injected into the predator or prey
polyp
The tentacled, usually sessile stage in the life cycle of a cnidarian
Medusa
The tentacled, usually bell-shaped, free-swimming sexual stage in the life cycle of a cnidarian
monoecious
having both the male and female reproductive organs in the same individual; hermaphrodite.
dioecious
Having male and female reproductive organs in separate plants or animals
Scolex
the anterior end of a tapeworm, bearing suckers and hooks for attachment.
Proglottids
one of the segmental structures that make up most of a tapeworm's body; each produce thousands of fertilized eggs
Cephalization
the concentration of nerve tissue and sensory organs at the anterior end of an organism
spiral cleavage
The cleavage pattern in many protostomes in which newly produced cells lie in the space between the two cells immediately below them.
radial cleavage
A cleavage pattern in deuterostomes in which newly formed cells lie directly above and below other cells of the embryo.
determinate cleavage
A type of cleavage in protosomes in which each cell's developmental path is determined as the cell is produced
indeterminate cleavage
A type of cleavage, observed in many deuterostomes, in which the developmental fates of the first few cells produced by mitosis are not determined as soon as cells are produced.
blastospore
the first opening made during gastrulation - the point of invagination
schizocoelom
In protostomes, the body cavity that develops as inner and outer layers of mesoderm separate.
enterocoelom
In deuterostomes, the body cavity pinched off by outpocketings of the archenteron.
Mantle
One or two folds of the body wall that lines the shell and secretes the substance that forms the shell in mollusks
radulla
in a mollusk, a structure of tiny teeth used for scraping food particles off a surface and drawing them into the mouth.
foot
The muscular structure in the bodies of many mollusks that is responsible for crawling or burrowing locomotion.
visceral mass
In mollusks, the region of the body containing the internal organs
mantle cavity
A water-filled chamber that houses the gills, anus, and excretory pores of a mollusc.
septum (pl. septa)
A thin partition or cross wall that separates body segments.
closed circulatory system
A circulatory system in which the fluid, blood, is confined in blood vessels and is distinct from the interstitial fluid.
open circulatory system
An arrangement of the circulatory system in some invertebrates in which, when the heart contracts, arteries leaving the heart release a bloodlike fluid, hemolymph, directly into body spaces called sinuses that surround organs
metanephridia
The excretory tubules of most annelids and mollusks.
parapodia
Fleshy lateral extensions of the body wall of aquatic annelids, used for locomotion and gas exchange.
Clitellum
Broad, thickened segments of annelids that holds the sperm and eggs
Trachea
In insects, an extensively branched, airconducting tube formed by invagination of the outer epidermis of the animal, and reinforced by rings of chitin. In vertebrates, the windpipe, which branches into the bronchi.
Malpighian tubules
The main organ of excretion and osmoregulation in insects, helping them to maintain water and electrolyte balance.
antennae
Sensory structures that are able to detect air movement, vibrations, and smells
book lungs
Pocketlike respiratory organs found in some arachnids consisting of several parallel membrane folds arranged like the pages of a book.
cephalothorax
region of a crustacean formed by the fusion of the head with the thorax
chelicerae
The first pair of fanglike appendages near the mouth of an arachnid, used for biting prey and often modified for grasping and piercing
pedipalps
each of the second pair of appendages attached to the cephalothorax of most arachnids. They are variously specialized as pincers in scorpions, sensory organs in spiders, and locomotory organs in horseshoe crabs.
Simple eyes
eyes that can sense only movement and light/dark and cannot form images
compound eyes
The eye of most insects and some crustaceans, composed of many faceted, light-sensitive units called ommatidia fitted closely together, each having its own refractive system and each forming a portion of an image.
exoskeleton
A hard external covering of an animal's body that blocks the passage of water and provides support and protection.
postembryonic development
the period of development after embryogenesis
Ametabolous
young look like adult, only sexually immature, continue to molt after maturity
Hemimetabolous
young resemble adult but lack wings (external wing pads), cease molting at maturity
Nymphs
The immature form of insects that look like small adults without fully developed wings
Holometabolous
young quite different from adult; complete metamorphosis; egg, larva, pupa, adult
larva
an immature form of an animal that looks very different from the adult
pupa
an insect in the inactive stage of development (when it is not feeding) intermediate between larva and adult