vert adp. Q:A

Tetrapod Origins and Life on Land
1⃣ Q: Which characteristics of Tiktaalik are more "fish-like"?
A: Fin rays, pelvic girdle not attached to spine, presence of operculum.

2⃣ Q: Which characteristics of Acanthostega and Ichthyostega are more "tetrapod-like"?
A: Zygapophyses, stronger limb girdles, loss of operculum.

3⃣ Q: Order Tiktaalik, Acanthostega, and Ichthyostega from least to most derived.
A: Tiktaalik → Acanthostega → Ichthyostega.

4⃣ Q: What are the four membranes of the amniotic egg and their functions?
A: Amnion (protects embryo), Chorion (gas exchange), Yolk sac (nutrition), Allantois (waste storage).

5⃣ Q: Which activity is the most energetically costly: running, swimming, or flying?
A: Running.

6⃣ Q: List two adaptations that allow terrestrial tetrapods to effectively pump blood.
A: Double circulation, muscular heart with divided chambers.

7⃣ Q: How do terrestrial tetrapods hear, see, and smell?
A: Middle ear for sound transmission, modified eyes for air vision, olfactory epithelium for smell.

Lissamphibia Part 1
8⃣ Q: What are the shared derived characteristics of Lissamphibia?
A: Pedicellate teeth, permeable skin, biphasic life cycle, operculum-columella complex.

9⃣ Q: Match common names to Lissamphibia orders.
A: Anura (frogs & toads), Urodela (salamanders), Gymnophiona (caecilians).

🔟 Q: What is phallodeum?
A: Copulatory organ of male caecilians.

1⃣1⃣ Q: What is amplexus?
A: Mating position of frogs/toads.

1⃣2⃣ Q: What is spermatophore?
A: Sperm packet used in salamander reproduction.

1⃣3⃣ Q: What does a biphasic life cycle refer to?
A: Aquatic larval stage & terrestrial adult stage.

1⃣4⃣ Q: How many chambers does a Lissamphibian heart have?
A: Three chambers (two atria, one ventricle).

1⃣5⃣ Q: List two traits of caecilians advantageous for a fossorial lifestyle.
A: Reduced eyes (for burrowing), annulated body (for movement underground).

Lissamphibia Part 2
1⃣6⃣ Q: What are the shared derived characters of Anura?
A: Urostyle, tibiofibula, radioulna, reduced vertebrae.

1⃣7⃣ Q: How does a frog’s limb length reflect locomotion?
A: Longer hindlimbs for jumping, shorter forelimbs for landing.

1⃣8⃣ Q: What are major threats to frogs?
A: Habitat destruction, pollution, chytrid fungus.

1⃣9⃣ Q: What part of the frog does chytrid fungus harm?
A: Keratinized skin, disrupting respiration.

Sauropsids and Synapsids
2⃣0⃣ Q: Which groups are sauropsids and which are synapsids?
A: Sauropsids: turtles, tuatara, lizards, snakes, crocodilians, birds.
Synapsids: mammals.

2⃣1⃣ Q: How do sauropsid and synapsid lungs differ?
A: Sauropsids have unidirectional airflow; synapsids have tidal ventilation.

2⃣2⃣ Q: What is costal ventilation?
A: Rib movement to aid breathing.

Ectothermy and Endothermy
2⃣3⃣ Q: What are the main sources of body heat for ectotherms and endotherms?
A: Ectotherms: external environment. Endotherms: internal metabolism.

2⃣4⃣ Q: What are the four heat exchange mechanisms?
A: Conduction, convection, evaporation, radiation.

2⃣5⃣ Q: Why are smaller animals more likely to exhibit torpor?
A: Higher surface area-to-volume ratio leads to greater heat loss.

Lepidosaurs
2⃣6⃣ Q: What force allows geckos to climb walls?
A: Van der Waals forces.

2⃣7⃣ Q: What do "homodont" and "polyphyodont" mean?
A: Homodont: all teeth same shape. Polyphyodont: continuously replacing teeth.

2⃣8⃣ Q: Which climate favors vivipary?
A: Cold climates.

Turtles
2⃣9⃣ Q: What is the difference between Pleurodira and Cryptodira?
A: Pleurodira: side-necked turtles. Cryptodira: vertical retraction of neck.

3⃣0⃣ Q: What is the function of the right-to-left intracardiac shunt in turtles?
A: Redirects blood to systemic circuit, bypassing lungs.

Crocodilians
3⃣1⃣ Q: How do crocodilians exhibit parental care?
A: Nest guarding, temperature-dependent sex determination, carrying hatchlings.

3⃣2⃣ Q: What is the function of the nictitating membrane?
A: Protects the eye underwater.

Miscellaneous
3⃣3⃣ Q: Which vertebrate groups are amniotes?
A: Reptiles, birds, mammals.

3⃣4⃣ Q: What are the heart chamber numbers for major vertebrate groups?
A: Amphibians: 3, Lizards/snakes: 3, Turtles: 3, Crocs: 4, Birds/mammals: 4.

3⃣5⃣ Q: How can you identify skull types (anapsid, synapsid, diapsid)?
A: Anapsid: no temporal fenestrae (turtles).
Synapsid: one temporal fenestra (mammals).
Diapsid: two temporal fenestrae (birds, reptiles).