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Breeding interval
Breeding season
Breeding/spawning season
Breeding season
Eggs per season
Number of offspring
Litters per year
Teat number
Time to hatching
Gestation period
Birth Mass
Age at eye opening
Time to fledging
Time to weaning
Time to Independence
Dispersal age
Age at sexual or reproductive maturity (female)
Age at sexual or reproductive maturity (female or asexual)
Age at sexual or reproductive maturity (male)
Key Reproductive Features
The interaction of two or more organisms seeking a limited resource that they both need.
typically livestock excrement
the tendency in some animal groups for the major sense organs, mouth, and brain to be grouped at the front (anterior) of the body in a specialized cephalic region, the head. Synapomorphy of the Bilateria.
the flagellated, solid-bodied larvaa of some sponges (Phylum Porifera).
An herbivore that feeds on grasses (compare browser).
cells which line the flagellated canals and chambers of sponges, Phylum Porifera. The exposed end of a choanocyte cell bears a flagellum surrounded by a collar that filters food particles from the water.
The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora was negotiated in 1973 and originally signed by 85 countries. Mauritania became a party to CITES in June, 1998, bring the total number of participating countries to 144. It is designed to promote conservation of endangered species while allowing commerce in species of wildlife that can withstand the pressures of trade. The convention has three categories of protection. Under its Appendix I, commercial trade in species that are threatened with extinction is generally prohibited. These species may be traded only under special conditions (usually for scientific research or display purposes). Such transactions require both an import permit from CITES authorities in the recipient country and an export permit from authorities in the country of origin... CITES allows conditional commercial trade in species that are not yet endangered but merit monitoring. These species are listed on Appendix II and may be traded only with an export permit from their country of origin. A third appendix to CITES is intended to help individual countries gain international cooperation in protecting native species. Any country may place a native plant or animal on Appendix III, making the species conditionally tradable. The species may not be traded without either an export permit from its native country (if that country listed it on Appendix III) or a certificate of origin (if it comes from a country that did not list it). (Fitzgerald 1989)
One of the forms of a given gene.
makes seasonal movements between breeding and wintering grounds
reproduction that is not sexual; that is, reproduction that does not include recombining the genotypes of two parents
lays eggs in the nests of another animal, of the same or different species, who then provides parental care to the offspring
the outermost of the three germ layers of an animal embryo. Ectoderm gives rise to the skin, nervous system, and the adrenal medulla.
Animals in which the sexes are separate, each individual being unisexual, either male or female, such as in most vertebrates.
referring to the space between cells, atoms or molecules, or soil particles. Interstitial cells are those cells that exist in the connective tissues between other tissues and structures. This term is most often used to refer to the insterstitial cells of the testes that lie between the seminiferous tubules.
A grassy, open woodland habitat characteristic of many semi-arid parts of Australia. Mallee also describes the multi-stemmed habit of eucalypt trees which dominate this habitat.
a wetland area rich in accumulated plant material and with acidic soils surrounding a body of open water. Bogs have a flora dominated by sedges, heaths, and sphagnum.
the condition in which individuals in a group display each of the following three traits: cooperative care of young; some individuals in the group give up reproduction and specialize in care of young; overlap of at least two generations of life stages capable of contributing to colony labor
an animal that mainly eats fruit
on or near the ocean floor in the deep ocean. Abyssal regions are characterized by complete lack of light, extremely high water pressure, low nutrient availability, and continuous cold (3 degrees C).
ovulation is stimulated by the act of copulation (does not occur spontaneously)
The process of carrying young inside the body before birth; the period from implantation of the embryo in the uterus to birth.
Slapping the water with the flukes.
a substance used in treating disease.
young are born in a relatively underdeveloped state; they are unable to feed or care for themselves or locomote independently for a period of time after birth/hatching. In birds, naked and helpless after hatching.
referring to the sensation of chemical signals. The portion of the nervous system devoted to detecting and interpreting chemical signals.
humans benefit economically by promoting tourism that focuses on the appreciation of natural areas or animals. Ecotourism implies that there are existing programs that profit from the appreciation of natural areas or animals.
The area in which an animal normally lives, whether or not it defends the area from other animals; the area that an animal learns thoroughly and habitually patrols.
Having one mate at a time.
Philippine term for temporary agricultural plots cleared from the forest by native people. The soil of such plots is rapidly exhausted and new plots have to be cleared every few years.
Extending lengthwise.
Referring to an organism that subsists on only one kind of food.
changes the environment and creates new habitats for other species
areas dominated by accumulations of sand which is shaped and formed by the action of wind and/or water. This habitat type also includes desert dune areas and lake coasts characterized by dune formation.
a sac-like space made up of fibrous tissue and containing a thick, lubricating fluid (synovial fluid). Bursae (plural) are found in areas of vertebrate bodies where friction between skin, muscle, ligaments, or bones might occur. They help to reduce this friction.
A member of the family Canidae, which includes dogs, foxes, jackals, and wolves.
Moist, high-altitude forest characterised by dense understory growth, and abundance of ferns, mosses, orchids and other plants on the trunks and branches of the trees.
particles of organic material from dead and decomposing organisms. Detritus is the result of the activity of decomposers (organisms that decompose organic material).
a member of the mammalian family Bovidae, within the order Artiodactyla. This family includes cows, bison, buffalo, antelopes, gazelles, sheep, goats, muskoxen, and many others.
The fundamenetal constituent of the cell wass of all green plants. It is tough and fibrous and is the principal structural material of plants.
specialized for running.
Able to live both on land and in the water.
The average number of individuals in a population that actually contribute genes to succeeding generations.
an animal that mainly eats decomposed plants and/or animals
an area where a freshwater river meets the ocean and tidal influences result in fluctuations in salinity.
Bodily waste discharged from the bowels.
Deriving energy from a process requiring free oxygen (compare anaerobic).
(noun) A hidden store of food; (verb) to hide food for future use.
An animal whose pelt has commercial value and is subject to being harvested.
On the side of the body opposite the mouth.
the process of exchanging gases from the environment with gases resulting from metabolism inside an animal's body across a gas exchange surface, such as the exchange surfaces of gills and lungs.
to remove the viscera, or internal organs, of an animal.
Referring to domesticated animals which are living in the wild.
in mammals, a condition in which a fertilized egg reaches the uterus but delays its implantation in the uterine lining, sometimes for several months.
Introduced, non-native species.
Referring to a plant that has little or no woody tissue and usually persists for a single growing season.
any areas in which an animal now occurs outside of its native range.
marshes are wetland areas often dominated by grasses and reeds.
A large change in the shape or structure of an animal that happens as the animal grows. In insects, "incomplete metamorphosis" is when young animals are similar to adults and change gradually into the adult form, and "complete metamorphosis" is when there is a profound change between larval and adult forms. Butterflies have complete metamorphosis, grasshoppers have incomplete metamorphosis.
the area in which the animal is naturally found, the region in which it is endemic.
concerning descriptions of characteristics without regard to shared ancestry or independent evolution. Animals are typically described as being most closely related to each other if they are most similar.
see brachia
an animal that mainly eats plankton
small, free-floating, aquatic plant (phytoplankton) and animal (zooplankton) organisms that serve as food for many larger organisms (planktivores.)
an animal which has a substance capable of killing, injuring, or impairing other animals through its chemical action (for example, the skin of poison dart frogs).
the regions of the earth that surround the north and south poles, from the north pole to 60 degrees north and from the south pole to 60 degrees south.
Referring to a mating system in which a female mates with several males during one breeding season (compare polygynous).
condition of hermaphroditic animals (and plants) in which the male organs and their products appear before the female organs and their products
Singular: protonephridium. A primitive osmoregulatory or excretory organ made up of a tubule ending at a flame bulb, or solenocyte.
A persistent remnant of an otherwise extinct flora or fauna.
an animal that mainly eats blood
A general term for hard-leafed forest, such as the eucalypt forest that covers much of Australia.
lives alone
the eggs of certain aquatic organisms
the egg cleavage pattern characterisic of protostomes (Protostomia, see protostome), in which egg cleavage result in a spiralled mass of cells.
Random; exhibiting variability due to random events.
A surface on which something grows or is attached. As in "barnacles grow on hard substrates." The bottoms of aquatic systems are also characterized as having kinds of substrates, such as rock substrate, clay substrate, etc. Substrate is also used to describe something on which an enzyme acts.
A surface on which something grows or is attached. As in "barnacles grow on hard substrates." The bottoms of rivers and lakes usually are described as having a kind of substrate, such as rock substrate, clay substrate, etc.
living in residential areas on the outskirts of large cities or towns.
A super-group forms when two or more groups of animals of a species (e.g. Drill (Mandrillus leucophaeus) or Mandrill (Mandrillus sphinx)) come together for short periods.
a type of canal system in certain sponges (Phylum Porifera).
the compound body sections of an arthropod resulting from embryonic fusion of two or more segments. Singular is tagma. Having three tagmata or divisions of the body (head, thorax and abdomen) is a synapomorphy of the Insecta.
The portion of the body between the head and abdomen of certain species that bears whatever legs and wings are present.
a dormant, inactive state.
a poisonous substance, usually a protein, that is produced by living cells or organisms and causes harm or disease when introduced into the body tissues of other organisms.
A terrestrial biome similar to tropical rainforest and found at the same latitudes, but rainy and dry seasons are more distinct and the total amount of rainfall is usually less. Most trees are deciduous and drop their leaves during the dry season. Thorny vegetation is sometimes prominent.
A terrestrial biome found within 23.5? of the equator in areas where rainfall is abundant (more than 250 cm/year) and the dry season, if any, is brief. Forests are very diverse floristically and structurally; trees sometimes reach great heights. Most trees are evergreen; deciduous species, if present, do not all lose their leaves at the same time of year.
The locality from which a species or subspecies was first described.
a poisonous secretion of an animal, such as a snake, spider, or scorpion, usually transmitted by a bite or sting.
an animal which has an organ capable of injecting a poisonous substance into a wound (for example, scorpions, jellyfish, and rattlesnakes).
young are relatively well-developed when born
waste products of the metabolism of proteins and nucleic acids.
uses electric signals to communicate
a pattern of egg cleavage in early development in which the entire egg is divided with each cell division. Contrast to meroblastic cleavage.
the state that some animals enter during winter in which normal physiological processes are significantly reduced, thus lowering the animal's energy requirements. The act or condition of passing winter in a torpid or resting state, typically involving the abandonment of homoiothermy in mammals.
A dry savanna region in central Brazil dotted with patches of sparsely wooded vegetation.
a contractile cell, mainly muscle cells.
in referring to a particular group (taxon), restricted to a specific location or region.
the area around the mouth in many invertebrates which sometimes is modified to assist in food collecting. An example is the first segment of polychaete worms, the protostomium, which is variously modified with hardened jaws, palps, or ciliated to collect food.
an anatomical feature of echinoderms (Phylum Echinodeermata), a calcareous sieve leading the the water vascular system.
The reduction of a species to such low abundance that, although it is still present in the community, it no longer interacts significantly with other species.
Required.
A transition between two or more different habitats; e.g. between forest and grassland.
used to describe the larvae of crinoids (sea lilies and feather stars), Class Crinoidea, Phylum Echinodermata.
A member of an order comprising living and extinct anteaters, armadillos, pangolins, and sloths.
the primary body cavity of most invertebrates, containing circulatory fluid.
the external cellular layer of a multicellular organism. Invertebrate epidermis is often one cell thick and may secrete a waxy cuticle. Vertebrate epidermis is the multiple cell layer of the skin.
A substance that provides both nutrients and energy to a living thing.
an animal that mainly eats meat
referring to the group of higher phyla, the Deuterostomia, in which cleavage of the egg is indeterminate and primitively radial. The endomesoderm is enterocoelus and the mouth is derived away from the blastopore. This group includes Echinodermata, Chordata, Phoronida, Ectoprocta, Brachiopoda, Chaetognatha, and Hemichordata. Compare with protostome (Protostomia).
Relating to an animal that walks on its toes; as opposed to plantigrade.
The single, backwards pointing toe possessed by many birds
the larvae of members of the class Holothuroidea, sea cucumbers.
a substantial delay (longer than the minimum time required for sperm to travel to the egg) takes place between copulation and fertilization, used to describe female sperm storage.
Something that is alive, or used to be alive.
An animal that eats mainly plants or parts of plants.
fertilization takes place within the female's body
referring to animal species that have been transported to and established populations in regions outside of their natural range, usually through human action.
a free-living, sexually immature form in some animal life cycles. Larvae may differ from adult forms in many respects, including morphology, diet, and habitat.
A general term applied to ephemeral plant species (not grasses); in arid and semi-arid regions they grow abundantly after rains.
Referring to an animal that lives on or near the bottom of a body of water. Also an aquatic biome consisting of the ocean bottom below the pelagic and coastal zones. Bottom habitats in the very deepest oceans (below 9000 m) are sometimes referred to as the abyssal zone. see also oceanic vent.
something that was never alive, such as water or rocks. This term is often used to refer to the physical environment.
a hardened connective tissue made up mainly of collagen, but also includes chondromucoid and chondroalbuminoid (similar to elastin). New bone growth involves calcification of cartilaginous connective tissue.
A member of a class within the Arthropods, Crustacea, which has five pairs of legs, two pairs of antennae, head and thorax joined, and calcareous deposits in the exoskeleton (e.g. crayfish, crabs, and shrimp).
areas with salty water, usually in coastal marshes and estuaries.
One of the classes of flowering plants, characterized by the presence of two seed leaves in the young plant, and by net-veined, often broad leaves, in mature plants. Includes deciduous trees.
An organ of a fungus which carries or produces spores for the fungus' reproduction. For example, a mushroom is a fruiting body of a fungus; the main body of the fungus is underground and consists of a network formed from a mass of branching filaments.
Referring to a situation in which populations of different species are geographically separated (compare Sympatric).
Relating to seasonal loss of leaves; relating to teeth that are replaced by others.
used loosely to describe any group of organisms living together or in close proximity to each other - for example nesting shorebirds that live in large colonies. More specifically refers to a group of organisms in which members act as specialized subunits (a continuous, modular society) - as in clonal organisms.
In female mammals (other than most primates), the hormonally controlled, regularly repeated stages by which the body is prepared for reproduction.
To move around in trees by arm-swinging from branch to branch.
pigment-containing cells found in the skin of many vertebrates, crustaceans, and molluscs. Pigment granules concentrate or disperse in the cytoplasm of the cell, causing the animal to better match its surroundings.
a parasite that lives on the outside of its host's body.
An aquatic biome.
a substance used for the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of disease
At about the time a female gives birth (e.g. in most kangaroo species), she also becomes receptive and mates. Embryos produced at this mating develop only as far as a hollow ball of cells (the blastocyst) and then become quiescent, entering a state of suspended animation or embryonic diapause. The hormonal signal (prolactin) which blocks further development of the blastocyst is produced in response to the sucking stimulus from the young in the pouch. When sucking decreases as the young begins to eat other food and to leave the pouch, or if the young is lost from the pouch, the quiescent blastocyst resumes development, the embryo is born, and the cycle begins again. (Macdonald 1984)
an animal which directly causes disease in humans. For example, diseases caused by infection of filarial nematodes (elephantiasis and river blindness).
The standard deviation divided by the mean.
On the upper or top side or surface; e.g. dorsal fin.
See diversity - gamma.
singular: cilium. Short, minute, hair-like projections (up to 10 micrometers long) present on the surface of many cells, especially protozoans and vertebrate epithelium. The movement of cilia can cause cell movement or cause liquids to pass over the cell surface.
Referring to an individual in which the alleles of a given gene are different.
A genetically induced variety within a single species, adapted for local ecological conditions.
a large body of land ice that forms when large snowfalls and low temperatures encourage the transformation of snow into ice, often persisting throughout many years. Ice caps are typically less than 50,000 km2 in area but are large enough to submerge the underlying topography.
Referring to animal that walks on two legs.
A measure of the abundance of an animal in term of the mass (weight) of the animals, stated as either the total mass of the animals in a given location or per unit area.
A fully developed and mature animal, physically capable of breeding, but not necessarily doing so until social and/or ecological conditions allow.
a state in which metabolic activities are decreased, including hibernation, aestivation, torpor, and diapause.
An animal which lacks a backbone (such as insects, spiders and crustaceans).
A line on a map that connects places with equal rainfall.
The act or power of moving from place to place.
chew, or process for eating
A related group of animals linked by descent through females alone.
a dark brown pigment of the skin, eyes, and hair of animals, especially vertebrates, that is produced in epidermal cells called melanophores or melanocytes.
Having a high level of dark pigmentation, resulting from high levels of melanin, which produces a very dark or black color in skin, eyes, fur, or scales.
A habitat characterized by a moderate amount of moisture.
the layer of jelly-like material between the two tissue layers, gastrodermis and epidermis, of cnidarians (fibrous in Phylum Cnidaria) and ctenophores (Phylum Ctenophora). It is also used sometimes to refer to the jelly-like matrix found between epithelial layers in sponges (Phylum Porifera).
small spicules, found in sponges (Phylum Porifera).
The branch of genetics that deals with issues such as how a gene is copied, how a mutation arises, how genes are turned on and off when their activity is needed or not needed, what are the chemical products of genes, and what is the precise sequence of the chemical building blocks of DNA in genes.
having the capacity to move from one place to another.
an animal that mainly eats fungus
the paired openings of the nasal cavity in vertebrates, nostrils. Singular: naris.
Associated with an animal's birth.
plural form of ostium, which is any small opening in a body organ or part. Usually used to refer to small openings or pores in the tissues of sponges (Phylum Porifera).
Referring to a female who has produced offspring.
an adjective which describes a form that is similar to a flower petal.
Referring to an animal that has a tendency to return to or stay in its home area, or to return yearly to the same area to breed.
Relating to an animal that walks on the sole of its feet with the heel touching the ground; as opposed to digitigrade.
any substance which is harmful to the health of a living organism.
Referring to a female that has two or more estrus cycles in one breeding season.
the kind of polygamy in which a female pairs with several males, each of which also pairs with several different females.
A gene at which the most common allele has a frequency of occurrence of less than 0.95.
the sedentary stage of the life cycle of cnidarians (Phylum Cnidaria, jellyfish, anemones, and corals). Made up of a cylindrical body cemented at one end to a substrate, with a mouth surrounded by a ring of tentacles at the other end. Synapomorphy of the Non-Trachyline Hydrozoa+Scyphozoa+Cubozoa+Anthozoa.
Tongue-like structure covered with tiny teeth which is protruded from the mouth, and used to scrape food items back into the pharynx. Synapomorphy of Mollusca.
rainforests, both temperate and tropical, are dominated by trees often forming a closed canopy with little light reaching the ground. Epiphytes and climbing plants are also abundant. Precipitation is typically not limiting, but may be somewhat seasonal.
an animal that mainly eats dead animals
communicates by producing scents from special gland(s) and placing them on a surface whether others can smell or taste them
helps spread the seeds of a plant
condition of hermaphroditic animals (and plants) in which the reproductive organs of both sexes are present and functional at the same time
associates with others of its species; forms social groups.
digs and breaks up soil so air and water can get in
A taxonomic division that generally refers to a group of animals which are similar in structure and descent and are able to breed among themselves.
A grass which grows in large, distinctive clumps or hummocks in the driest areas of central and western Australia.
a fibrous material made up of the skeletal network of horny sponges.
Open grassy plains in the temperate zone, characterized by low and sporadic rainfall and a wide annual temperature variation.
an organism involved in a symbiotic (see symbiosis) relationship.
A particular group of organisms of any taxonomic rank. For example, a phylum, a genus, or a species. Plural is taxa.
uses touch to communicate
a type of appendage characteristic of members of the arthropod group, Crustacea. The appendage branches from a basal portion, the protopodite, into two distal branches, the endopodite and the exopodite. Each of these branches might be made up of multiple segments. There are many variations on these appendages and their functions. Compare to uniramous.
An organism that is specialized for climbing.
active during the night
Relating to a series of ecological communities that succeed one another in the biological development of an area.
Found in coastal areas between 30 and 40 degrees latitude, in areas with a Mediterranean climate. Vegetation is dominated by stands of dense, spiny shrubs with tough (hard or waxy) evergreen leaves. May be maintained by periodic fire. In South America it includes the scrub ecotone between forest and paramo.
See estrus cycle.
parental care is carried out by males
Capable of, or adapted for, grasping.
The offspring of parents of different species.
Small crustaceans which occur in huge numbers in polar seas, particularly off of Antarctica. They comprise the main prey of baleen whales. The term can be used generally to apply to all such food organisms, but it is frequently used to refer specifically to shrimp-like animals of the group Euphausiacae, especially the Antarctic krill, Euphausia superba. This species is the most important food source for southern whales and other animals. It is about 2.5 cm (1) long, and has been observed in swarms as large as an estimated 2.5 million metric tons (2.8 million tons) (Bonner 1989).
Referring to an animal that feeds on many kinds of food.
A horny substance, commonly known as whalebone, that grows as plates from the upper jaws of certain whales, and forms a fringelike filter for extracting plankton such as krill from seawater.
actions an organism takes to keep predators from eating it.
Movement of an animal away from its previous home range. Often refers to the movement of a young animal away from the home range where it was born.
Large areas in Australia covered by small, rounded pebbles, rocky ranges and low scrubby vegetation.
Referring to conditions similar to those found in the Alps or other higher mountains (usually above 1500 m (4900')) .
animals that live only on an island or set of islands.
See diversity - beta.
Leaping from the water surface (usually by whales).
A member of a group of mammals (Metatheria) 1) that generally do not have a placenta and 2) whose females generally have a pouch on the abdomen containing the nipples, where newborn young are carried. Marsupials include bandicoots, kangaroos, opossums, wombats, possums, koalas, and others.
a slender, flexible structure that is an outgrowth of a eukaryotic cell used for locomotion or propelling liquids across a cell surface. The more appropriate term is 'undulipodium', which is used to distinguish eukaryotic structures from the flagella (plural) of bacteria. Eukaryotic undulipodia are more similar to eukaryotic cilia in structure than prokaryotic flagella.
a conical device with a wide opening that tapers to a much smaller opening, used for a variety of purposes. The webs of funnel-web spiders are similarly shaped.
Pertaining to mountainous country.
an animal which possesses both male and female functioning sex organs and can, therefore, mate both as a male or as a female. Common in invertebrates but rare in vertebrates.
Relating to the statistical study of the age and sex distribution and size of a population of animals, and the changes within these parameters.
A scientist who studies how living things (plants and animals) interact with each other and their physical environment.
referring to a state or feature of an organism or species that does not change.
referring to soil which has been deposited by running water.
Sum the number of heterozygous individuals for each gene, divide this by the total number of individuals in the sample, and average over all genes.
The process by which an animal locates itself with respect to other animals and objects by emitting sound waves and sensing the pattern of the reflected sound waves.
An attempt to establish a species, for the purpose of conservation, outside its recorded distribution, but within an appropriate habitat and eco-geographical area.
The natural characteristics of the area where an organism lives; the particular location where an organism normally lives.
A relatively continuous layer in forests resulting from the intermingling of branches of trees; it may be continuous (closed) or broken by gaps (open).
Native to a particular country or area.
The phenomenon by which the values of vital rates such as survivorship and fecundity depend on the density of the population.
sticking to a surface
An animal behaving parentally towards infants or young that are not its own offspring.
becoming hardened through the addition of calcium salts or becoming converted to calcium carbonate (bone).
shaped flat and round like a disc
to jointly display, usually with sounds in a highly coordinated fashion, at the same time as one other individual of the same species, often a mate
members of the mammalian family Equidae, including horses, asses, and zebras.
in the evolutionary sense, convergence occurs when animals that are descended from different ancestors evolve to look most similar to each other. Their similarity, or convergence, is not the result of shared evolutionary history.
A shelter, natural or constructed, used for sleeping, for giving birth and raising young, and/or for providing shelter during winter.
An enlarged skin gland associated with the root of the tail.
union of egg and spermatozoan
One of the lobes of a whale's tail.
an amoeboid cell type found in sponges which can differentiate into several other, specialized cells, including sclerocytes, which secrete spicules, spongocytes, which secret spongin fibers, and collencytes, which secrete fibrillar collagen. Archeocytes can also ingest particles through phagocytosis.
A situation where the density of an animal population is so low as to cause adverse effects on the population. For example, adult animals may have trouble finding other adults to mate with because they are so scarce.
the eyes of insects and crustaceans which are composed of multiple visual units, the ommatidia. Each ommatidium (singular) is made up of a lens and 6 to 8 retinal cells.
A disease outbreak in an animal population that occurs at a particular time and does not persist (compare Enzootic).
A layer of fat beneath the skin.
Tending to associate with other animals of its kind; habitually living with other animals of its kind.
offspring are produced in more than one group (litters, clutches, etc.) and across multiple seasons (or other periods hospitable to reproduction). Iteroparous animals must, by definition, survive over multiple seasons (or periodic condition changes).
Deriving energy from a process that does not require free oxygen (compare aerobic).
either directly causes, or indirectly transmits, a disease to a domestic animal
A system of mountain ranges often consisting of a number of more or less parallel chains.
As habitats change along a topographic or climatic gradient, new species are encountered as other species drop out, and this species turnover rate is termed beta diversity - a function of changing habitat. An example would be the rate at which the species composition of moss communities changes as you go higher on a mountain slope.
an animal that mainly eats the dung of other animals
a species whose presence or absence strongly affects populations of other species in that area such that the extirpation of the keystone species in an area will result in the ultimate extirpation of many more species in that area (Example: sea otter).
A climbing plant.
Semi-arid savanna found in South America.
a size scale very much larger than that of atoms and molecules, macroscopic systems are governed by classical physics.
see endemic. Native to a mainland area.
large crops of seeds or nuts which accumulate on the forest floor and serve as food for animals.
the free-swimming stage in the life cycle of cnidarians (synapomorphy of Phylum Cnidaria). Examples are jellyfish.
a specialized cell in the tentacles of cnidarians (Phylum Cnidaria, jellyfish, corals, and anemones) and ctenophores (Phylum Ctenophora, comb jellies). Each nematocyst typically contains a barbed and/or venomous coiled thread that can be ejected in defense or to capture prey. Synapomorphy for Cnidaria.
generally wanders from place to place, usually within a well-defined range.
invertebrate prey besides insects and spiders. For example, crustaceans (shrimp or crabs), molluscs (snails, clams, or squid), echinoderms (starfish or sea urchins), or cnidarians (jellyfish, coral).
islands that are not part of continental shelf areas, they are not, and have never been, connected to a continental land mass, most typically these are volcanic islands.
reproduction in which eggs are released by the female; development of offspring occurs outside the mother's body.
The process of giving birth.
A method of observing hard-to-see animals by taking their pictures automatically, using remote cameras triggered when the animal interrupts an infrared light beam.
the period each day of daylight; daylength.
The Pleistocene Epoch began approximately 1.8 million years ago and ended about 11,000 years ago.
having more than one syllable, or notes, separated by brief pauses during a single utterance
A group of animals of the same species that occupies a particular area; usually refers to a group that is somewhat separate from other groups of the same species.
the developmental pattern of animal blastula whereby the blastopore ultimately develops into the mouth, cleavage is typically spiral, and the coelom forms from by splitting.. This pattern is typical of many invertebrate groups (the "Protostomia"), including acoelomate, pseudocoelomate, and coelomate animals. These groups include flatworms, rotifers, nematodes, arthropods, molluscs, annelids, and many others.
In anatomy: a long, slightly curved bone of the forearm of tetrapods. It is one of two bones found in tetrapod forearms and is located alongside the ulna, which is the other forearm bone. Synapomorphy of the Tetrapoda+Eusthenopteron.
An area containing scrubby vegetation typical of sand marine barrier islands .
mainly lives in oceans, seas, or other bodies of salt water.
A grassland with scattered trees or scattered clumps of trees, a type of community intermediate between grassland and forest. See also Tropical savanna and grassland biome.
breeding is confined to a particular season
remains in the same area
non-motile; permanently attached at the base.
Attached to substratum and moving little or not at all. Synapomorphy of the Anthozoa
A range of mountains, especially with a serrated or irregular outline.
The collective term for a group of pigs.
A person who explores and/or studies caves.
a packet enclosing sperm, produced by males of several invertebrate groups and some vertebrates.
a fluid-filled cellular cyst containing granules (statoliths), used to sense direction of gravity. Statocysts act as sense organs of equilibrium.
Relating to two or more animals whose geographical ranges overlap (compare Allopatric).
a cell that is formed through the fusion of multiple cells, resulting in a multinucleate mass of cytoplasm within the boundaries of a single cell. Syncitial: cell membranes are not present to separate nuclei.
Rock debris at the base of a cliff.
that region of the Earth between 23.5 degrees North and 60 degrees North (between the Tropic of Cancer and the Arctic Circle) and between 23.5 degrees South and 60 degrees South (between the Tropic of Capricorn and the Antarctic Circle).
An aquatic biome including the ocean bottom in coastal areas of temperate regions, to about 1000 m depth.
defends an area within the home range, occupied by a single animals or group of animals of the same species and held through overt defense, display, or advertisement
the region of the earth that surrounds the equator, from 23.5 degrees north to 23.5 degrees south.
A terrestrial biome. Savannas are grasslands with scattered individual trees that do not form a closed canopy. Extensive savannas are found in parts of subtropical and tropical Africa and South America, and in Australia.
tropical savanna and grassland:
A terrestrial biome. Savannas are grasslands with scattered individual trees that do not form a closed canopy. Extensive savannas are found in parts of subtropical and tropical Africa and South America, and in Australia.
savanna:
A grassland with scattered trees or scattered clumps of trees, a type of community intermediate between grassland and forest. See also Tropical savanna and grassland biome.
temperate grassland:
A terrestrial biome found in temperate latitudes (>23.5? N or S latitude). Vegetation is made up mostly of grasses, the height and species diversity of which depend largely on the amount of moisture available. Fire and grazing are important in the long-term maintenance of grasslands.
the medusae of some hydroids (Class Hydrozoa) which are reduced to gonadal tissue and do not detach.
having a single color
the body cavity of triploblastic animals (animals made up of three tissue types), lined with mesoderm.
A long cliff separating two relatively level or gently sloping surfaces.
describes the act of expelling waste matter from an animal.
Referring to a plant that lives on the surface of another plant, typically a tree, or other structure and obtains its moisture and nutrients from the air and rain.
uses smells or other chemicals to communicate
Fish taken in a fishery which are not of the species intended for harvest.
a species in a class of arthropods which includes mostly air-breathing invertebrates, including spiders, scorpions, mites and ticks. Arachnids have a body with two segments, with the front segment having four pairs of legs and no antennae.
to shed exterior covering (such as fur, feathers, skin, or exoskeleton). In birds, molting also includes the process of growing replacement feathers. In other species, the new covering is uncovered when the old is lost. In Ecdysozoa (where molting is a synapomorphy) this process of periodically shedding the non-expandible outer cuticle is also called Ecdysis.
reproduction in which eggs develop within the maternal body without additional nourishment from the parent and hatch within the parent or immediately after laying.
A climate with cool wet winters and dry summers.
generates and uses light to communicate
the arm of a male cephalopod (Phylum Mollusca, Class Cephalopoda, including squid, cuttlefish, and octopi) which is used to transfer a spermatophore into a female's mantle chamber. This arm is specialized as an intromittent organ.
used to describe a group of organisms that are all derived through from a single parent, or ancestor, through asexual reproduction.
imitates a communication signal or appearance of another kind of organism
A period of time characteristic of an animal species and/or population that can be calculated as: The average age of parents in the population (used in the criteria for the new (1996) IUCN Red Data List categories), or the average age at first breeding
Having inconspicuous dark streaks or flecks on a gray or tawny background.
a term used to describe a birthing event in pigs (Suidae).
any small bony or chitinous structure found in various skeletal parts of animals. Usually used to refer to the bones of the middle ear in vertebrates.
having a worldwide distribution. Found on all continents (except maybe Antarctica) and in all biogeographic provinces; or in all the major oceans (Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific.
containing calcium carbonate, as in soils and other substrates which contain high concentrations of calcium carbonate.
an animal that mainly eats leaves.
The Gran Chaco is a flat plain in the region of northern Argentina, southeastern Bolivia and western Paraguay and with a mosaic of vegetation types including thorn forest, savanna, marsh and gallery forest.
A member of the same genus.
a member of the mammalian order Cetacea, including whales, porpoises, and dolphins.
in deserts low (less than 30 cm per year) and unpredictable rainfall results in landscapes dominated by plants and animals adapted to aridity. Vegetation is typically sparse, though spectacular blooms may occur following rain. Deserts can be cold or warm and daily temperates typically fluctuate. In dune areas vegetation is also sparse and conditions are dry. This is because sand does not hold water well so little is available to plants. In dunes near seas and oceans this is compounded by the influence of salt in the air and soil. Salt limits the ability of plants to take up water through their roots.
large spicules, found in sponges (Phylum Porifera).
Referring to an insect, spider, crab or other member of a species with a hard, jointed exoskeleton and paired, jointed legs.
having two margins which are toothed, like a comb.
the roles this species plays in its ecosystem. How does it affect other species? What other species does it have close interactions with?
A temperate or tropical forest with moderate rainfall and marked seasons. The trees usually shed their leaves during either cold or dry seasons.
in bones, coming together or touching
the area of shoreline influenced mainly by the tides, between the highest and lowest reaches of the tide. An aquatic habitat.
Referring to an animal that lives in trees; tree-climbing.
those areas of an echinoderms body that bear tube feet
pelvic and pectoral girdles are the portion of vertebrate skeletons made up of the pelvic bones (pelvic girdle) and the scapula and clavicle (pectoral girdle).
Referring to a genus that comprises a single species (see Scientific name).
more generally, a sac-like enlargement of any tubular or hollow organ. Generally refers to a pouch in the wall of the alimentary tract caused by pressure on a weak point.
The number of species coexisting within a uniform habitat or a single community (this is the traditional concept of species diversity).
Part of the coat of some animals consisting of longer, stiffer hairs which lie outside and support the warmer, softer underfur.
the extermination of a population of a species from a given area.
having body symmetry such that the animal can be divided in one plane into two mirror-image halves. Animals with bilateral symmetry have dorsal and ventral sides, as well as anterior and posterior ends. Synapomorphy of the Bilateria.
a pouch in the alimentary canal of vertebrates between the small intestine and the large intestine, represents the beginning of the large intestine.
An animal, usually without young of its own, which contributes to the survival of the offspring of others by behaving parentally towards the offspring.
Any conspicuous pattern of behavior that conveys information to others, usually to members of the same species; e.g. threat or courtship displays.
an animal that mainly eats nectar from flowers
Referring to behavior between individuals of the same species that may involve aggression, threat, appeasement or avoidance. Agonistic behavior may arise from a conflict between aggression and fear.
Referring to a group of organisms with a single, common ancestor, and containing all descendants within that group.
a living thing (plant, animal, or microbe)
a receptor that detects the presence of chemicals and, in multicellular organisms, transmits this information to the nervous system.
an animal cell without a fixed position in the body, they are able to wander throughout the body and feed on foreign particles, such as invading bacteria. Examples are leucocytes in mammalian blood.
An animal or microbe that uses dead plants and animals as food.
The region between 50 to 55 degrees south where the Antarctic surface water sinks beneath the less dense and southward flowing subantarctic water.
An exoskeletal shell that covers the head and at least some of the thorax. Synapomorphy of the Branchiopoda+Maxillopod
the process of drying up
a group of unicellular aquatic organisms with two flagellae. They are variously classified as protozoan or as an algae.
A diagram showing the connections among everything that organisms in a location eat and are eaten by. A food web is more complex than a food chain, by showing more connections.
An herbivore that feeds on shoots and leaves of trees and/or shrubs, as opposed to grasses (compare grazer).
A hard supporting structure on the outside of the body, enclosing all living cells (external skeleton).
a method of feeding where small food particles are filtered from the surrounding water by various mechanisms. Used mainly by aquatic invertebrates, especially plankton, but also by baleen whales.
Referring to a burrowing life-style or behavior, specialized for digging or burrowing.
An aquatic biome.
in many invertebrates, the spongy mass of vacuolated mesenchyme cells filling spaces between viscera, muscles, or epithelia. Also, the specialized tissue of an organ as distinguished from supporting connective tissue.
A social organization based on livestock raising as the primary economic activity.
symmetry in five planes: a body symmetry involving five or more parts arranged concentrically around a central axis made up of an oral/aboral pole. Animals with pentaradial symmetry are echinoderms (Phylum Echinodermata, sea stars, brittle stars, sea urchins, and others). Synapomorphy of the Crinoidea + Asteroidea + Ophiuroidea + Echinoidea + Holothuroidea.
the body cavity in vertebrates between the mouth and the esophagus and trachea, it serves as a passageway for both food (on the way to the esophagus) and respiratory gases (on the way to the trachea). The corresponding region in invertebrates is also referred to as the pharynx. Synapomorphy of the Anthozoa.
photosynthetic or plant constituent of plankton; mainly unicellular algae. (Compare to zooplankton.)
An internal organ providing nourishment to and removing waste products from the blood of an unborn young. The unborn young's blood is conveyed to the placenta via the umbilical cord.
Substances produced by trees at the sites of insect and other damage.
Free-swimming cnidarian larvae, uses cilia for locomotion, composed of ectoderm and endoderm. Synapomorphy of the Cnidaria. These are usually flattened and oval.
A process of soil formation, especially in humid regions and often under coniferous or mixed forest , involving principally leaching of the upper layers with accumulation of material in lower layers and development of a group of soils (the soils are called podzols) that have an organic mat and a thin organic-mineral layer above a gray leached layer resting on a dark illuvial horizon enriched with amorphous clay.
A long, flexible nose or trunk.
Referring to a mating system where a member of one sex mates with more than one member of the other sex, and each relationship is ephemeral and terminates after mating without a social bond being formed.
structure produced by the calcium carbonate skeletons of coral polyps (Class Anthozoa). Coral reefs are found in warm, shallow oceans with low nutrient availability. They form the basis for rich communities of other invertebrates, plants, fish, and protists. The polyps live only on the reef surface. Because they depend on symbiotic photosynthetic algae, zooxanthellae, they cannot live where light does not penetrate.
a large, natural body of running water
scrub forests develop in areas that experience dry seasons.
the minute calcareous or siliceous skeletal bodies found in sponges (Phylum Porifera), radiolarians (a protist group), soft corals (Phylum Cnidaria), and sea cucumbers (Phylum Echinodermata).
a wetland area that may be permanently or intermittently covered in water, often dominated by woody vegetation.
an intimate relationship between two different species. The symbiont (see symbiont) always benefits and the host (other member of the symbiosis) may benefit (called a mutualism), not be affected (called a commensalism), or may be harmed (predation or parasitism).
Forests occuring at temperate latitudes (>23.5? N or S latitude). This terrestrial biome is characterized by moderate to large seasonal changes in temperature; rainfall, however, is usually more evenly distributed. Leaves of deciduous trees drop during autumn and winter. Temperate rainforests may experience less seasonal change in temperature.
A terrestrial biome found in temperate latitudes (>23.5? N or S latitude). Vegetation is made up mostly of grasses, the height and species diversity of which depend largely on the amount of moisture available. Fire and grazing are important in the long-term maintenance of grasslands.
A 8-24 km (5-15 mile) wide belt of swampy grass jungle generally between the Himalayan foothills and the plains of India. It extends from northeast Uttar Pradesh (India) in the east, through southern Nepal and northwest Bengal (India) to northwest Assam (India) and adjacent parts of extreme southern Bhutan.
a shell or hardened outer covering. The hardened skeleton of echinoderms (Phylum Echinodermata, sea stars, sea urchins, sea cucumbers) is called a test.
An aquatic biome including the ocean bottom in coastal areas of tropical regions, to about 1000 m depth.
uses sound above the range of human hearing for either navigation or communication or both
The layer of shrubs, herbs and small trees beneath the forest canopy.
living in cities and large towns, landscapes dominated by human structures and activity.
This habitat is found in the Solimoes/Amazon River system. It is seasonally inundated, with annual fluctuations in water level of up to 15 m (50'). It includes tall forest, which is restricted to narrow interlinked corridors (restingas) located on alluvial levees marking the deposition areas of old watercourses. This vegetation is flooded for less than six months each year. Areas of low, dense scrub (chavascais) separate the restingas, with some open grassy areas and many ribbon-like lakes. This low vegetation is flooded for more than half the year, usually being submerged completely. At peak flood, only the canopies of the restinga trees can be seen above the water (Ayres & Johns 1987).
of or containing vessels that carry or circulate fluids, such as blood, lymph, or sap, in animals and plants.
an animal which acts to cause the infection of humans with a disease organism. For example, mosquitoes act to inject the sporozoan parasite, Plasmodium, into the human blood stream.
Shelf-like membrane structure on the subumbrella (ventral) surface, which extends from the outer edge to the manubrium. Synapomorphy of Hydrozoa2.
resembling or shaped like a worm.
uses sight to communicate
reproduction in which fertilization and development take place within the female body and the developing embryo derives nourishment from the female.
A maze of passageways.
lowland areas satured with water, characterized by low soil oxygen.
breeding takes place throughout the year
A bunch grass habitat, mainly consisting of Epicampes, Festuca and Muhlenbergia, unique to central Mexico.
living in landscapes dominated by human agriculture.
lacking a coelom (body cavity lined with mesoderm)
A forest consisting mostly of conifers such as firs, pines and spruces, usually in climates too dry or too cold to support deciduous forest.
See diversity - alpha.
with parts that overlap each other, such as scales.
A major habitat category, based on distinct plant assemblages which depend on particular temperature and rainfall patterns. E.g. tundra, temperate forest and rainforest, etc. The biomes we use are described in: Campbell, N. A. 1993. Biology. 3rd Edition. Benjamin/Cummings Publ. Co., and Raven, P. H., and G. B. Johnson. 1992. Biology. 3rd Edition. Mosby-Year Book, Inc.
The opening of the nostril(s) of a whale, located on the top of it's head, through which the whale breathes and from which the spout is produced.
A lowland plains area in Bolivia and Paraguay containing soils carried down from the Andes. It is characterized by dry deciduous forest and scrub, transitional between rain forest
refers to the presence of a fifth secondary feather in birds. Also used to denote the situation in which there is no gap between the fourth and fifth secondary feather in birds, usually with 9 or 10 primary feathers.
A taxonomic division that generally refers to a group of animals which are similar in structure and descent but are not all able to breed among themselves. For example, the lion, leopard and tiger all belong to the genus Panthera.
An animal that eats mainly insects or spiders.
Referring to northern regions. Specifically, the region south of the Arctic Circle and north of latitude 50 deg. N; the term may also refer to an area dominated by coniferous forest.
Being a member of the same species.
A diagram that shows the flow of food and energy from producers to consumers. The original food source for all organisms in a food chain can be traced to plants. "Food chain" and "food web" are often used interchangeably, but a food chain shows just one thing that each animal eats and is eaten by; while a food web shows all the things an animal eats and is eaten by.
a process whereby an animal sheds a body part, such as the tail in lizards. Autotomy is followed by regeneration of the body part. It often serves as a protective function, losing the body part to escape predation rather than being eaten, but is also a form of asexual reproduction in polychaete worms.
An animal or microbe that gets food by eating other organisms (plants or animals).
The sum total of processes operating at the ecosystem level, such as the cycling of matter, energy and nutrients, as well as those processes operating at lower ecological levels which impact on patterns or processes at the ecosystem level (e.g. interactions among species or the transfer of genetic material).
an animal that mainly eats seeds
an inland body of standing water.
To begin to grow.
having a keeled breastbone, as in birds.
One of a family of American epiphytic herbaceous plants including the pineapple and Spanish moss.
capable of producing contraction, the shortening of muscle fibers in order to produce a force.
Referring to an even-toed ungulate (includes the cattle, pigs and ruminants).
helps break down and decompose dead plants and/or animals
fertilization takes place outside the female's body
bipectinate gills in aquatic molluscs, Phylum Mollusca, present on either side of the mantle cavity.
the enlarged end of a tube or canal, used to refer to the enlarged ends of echinoderm tube feet, an enlargement at the end of the semicircular canals of the inner ear of vertebrates, or, more generally, the dilated end of a vessel or duct.
Relating to cone-bearing trees.
the outer layer of arthropods and plants that helps to prevent water loss. The cuticle of arthropods is a waxy secretion of the epidermal cells and acts as a protective, supportive, and waterproof component of the exoskeleton.
A disease that is persistently found in an animal population (compare Epizootic).
helpers provide assistance in raising young that are not their own
noun: the offspring of a single birth or set of eggs, or any group of young that is being cared for together by an adult.
verb: to incubate eggs.
referring to the form a characteristic takes after having undergone a transformative process, e.g. a new form is derived from an ancestral form through evolutionary change. In cladistics, derived characters are referred to as apomorphies.
Farthest from the body.
Living mainly in the water.
a kind of high-altitude, wispy cloud, from the Latin word meaning tuft or lock of hair.
ranking system or pecking order among members of a long-term social group, where dominance status affects access to resources or mates
A barrier, such as a low earth dam, which impounds water for irrigation.
The period in the estrus cycle of a female mammal when she is usually attractive to males and receptive to mating.
The occurrence of two distinct forms of structure, size, coloring, or other characteristic in a single species. Sexual dimorphism occurs where dimorphism exists between males and females.
the larva of echinoids (sea urchins, sand dollars, and heart urchins), Class Echinoidea, Phylum Echinodemata.
relating to the mouth or oral cavity.
to jointly display, usually with sounds, at the same time as two or more other individuals of the same or different species
The number of offspring produced per unit of time per individual of any given age. Also referred to as birth rate, maternity rate, or fertility.
parental care is carried out by females
mainly lives in water that is not salty.
those areas of an echinoderms body that lie between the ambulacra (areas with tube feet)
having a body made up of two layers, the epidermis and gastrodermis, with mesoglea between them, as in cnidarians.
To enter a state of dormancy in seasonal hot, dry weather, when food is scarce. Sometimes spelled "estivate."
International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) maintains a Redlist of species that are threatened internationally. For more information, see: http://www.redlist.org/.
The IUCN categories and criteria are: EXTINCT (EX) - A taxon is Extinct when there is no reasonable doubt that the last individual has died. EXTINCT IN THE WILD (EW) - A taxon is Extinct in the wild when it is known only to survive in cultivation, in captivity or as a naturalised population (or populations) well outside the past range. A taxon is presumed extinct in the wild when exhaustive surveys in known and/or expected habitat, at appropriate times (diurnal, seasonal, annual), throughout its historic range have failed to record an individual. Surveys should be over a time frame appropriate to the taxon's life cycle and life form. CRITICALLY ENDANGERED (CR) - A taxon is Critically Endangered when it is facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild in the immediate future, as defined by any of the criteria (A to E) as described below. ENDANGERED (EN) - A taxon is Endangered when it is not Critically Endangered but is facing a very high risk of extinction in the wild in the near future, as defined by any of the criteria (A to E) as described below. VULNERABLE (VU) - A taxon is Vulnerable when it is not Critically Endangered or Endangered but is facing a high risk of extinction in the wild in the medium-term future LOWER RISK (LR) - A taxon is Lower Risk when it has been evaluated, does not satisfy the criteria for any of the categories Critically Endangered, Endangered or Vulnerable. Taxa included in the Lower Risk category can be separated into three subcategories:
Conservation Dependent (cd). Taxa which are the focus of a continuing taxon-specific or habitat-specific conservation programme targeted towards the taxon in question, the cessation of which would result in the taxon qualifying for one of the threatened categories above within a period of five years. Near Threatened (nt). Taxa which do not qualify for Conservation Dependent, but which are close to qualifying for Vulnerable. Least Concern (lc). Taxa which do not qualify for Conservation Dependent or Near Threatened. DATA DEFICIENT (DD) A taxon is Data Deficient when there is inadequate information to make a direct, or indirect, assessment of its risk of extinction based on its distribution and/or population status. A taxon in this category may be well studied, and its biology well known, but appropriate data on abundance and/or distribution is lacking. Data Deficient is therefore not a category of threat or Lower Risk. Listing of taxa in this category indicates that more information is required and acknowledges the possibility that future research will show that threatened classification is appropriate. It is important to make positive use of whatever data are available. In many cases great care should be exercised in choosing between DD and threatened status. If the range of a taxon is suspected to be relatively circumscribed, if a considerable period of time has elapsed since the last record of the taxon, threatened status may well be justified. NOT EVALUATED (NE) A taxon is Not Evaluated when it is has not yet been assessed against the criteria.
active at dawn and dusk
the stage in an animal's lifecycle when they cease being motile and become attached to a substrate.
The rate at which additional species are encountered as geographic replacements within a habitat type in different localities; i.e., the species turnover rate with distance between sites of similar habitat, or with expanding geographic areas.
The study of the interrelationships among plants, animals and other organisms and their interaction with all aspects of their natural environment.
the fold of skin that covers the dorsal surface of molluscs and extends into lateral flaps that protect the gills in the mantle cavity. the outer surface of the mantle secretes the shell. Synapomorphy of Mollusca. (The body wall of tunicates is also referred to as the mantle.)
body part that sticks out, like a leg or toe or antenna
A finger or toe.
Relating to a type of social organization among animals where the family group is lead by a female.
the gelatinous matrix surrounding sponge cells, sometimes also called mesoglea or mesenchyme.
A free-swimming larvae with three pairs of appendages (antennules, antennae and mandibles)on an unsegmented body. Synapomorphy of the Crustacea.
an animal that mainly eats all kinds of things, including plants and animals
Alpine meadow of northern and western South American uplands.
an organism that obtains nutrients from other organisms in a harmful way that doesn't cause immediate death
development takes place in an unfertilized egg
chemicals released into air or water that are detected by and responded to by other animals of the same species
a sensory cell or group of cells which responds to light. Usually containing a pigment which changes chemically when exposed to light, triggering a nerve response.
leaflike
flattened cells which make up the dermal epithelium of sponges (Phylum Porifera).
filled with air pockets
A mating system where an individual has more than one mate per breeding season.
an animal that kills and eats other organisms for food.
An animal that is eaten by other animals.
condition of hermaphroditic animals (and plants) in which the female organs and their products appear before the male organs and their products
describing a postion close to the body, compare to "distal".
The geographical area over which an animal is distributed.
rodlike structures of certain turbellarians (Phylum Platyhelminthes, Class Turbellaria). These are found in the cells of the epidermis or underlying parenchyma and are discharged in mucous secretions.
An animal with a specialized digestive system which includes chewing the cud.
The ecoclimatic region that borders the Sahara Desert to the south in the 6000 km (3720 mi) long, 500 km (310 mi) wide strip crossing the continent of Africa from the Atlantic Ocean to the Red Sea between the 100 mm (4) and 600 mm (24) isohyets of mean annual rainfall. The word Sahel comes from the Arabic word for edge.
An accumulation of stones or rocky debris lying on a slope or at the base of a hill or cliff.
offspring are all produced in a single group (litter, clutch, etc.), after which the parent usually dies. Semelparous organisms often only live through a single season/year (or other periodic change in conditions) but may live for many seasons. In both cases reproduction occurs as a single investment of energy in offspring, with no future chance for investment in reproduction.
condition of hermaphroditic animals (and plants) in which the organs and products of one sex appear before the organs and products of the others, thus preventing self-fertilization.
reproduction that includes combining the genetic contribution of two individuals, a male and a female
mature spermatozoa are stored by females following copulation. Male sperm storage also occurs, as sperm are retained in the male epididymes (in mammals) for a period that can, in some cases, extend over several weeks or more, but here we use the term to refer only to sperm storage by females.
a chemosensory organ found in chitons (Phylum Mollusca: Class Polyplacophora). It is a modified portion of the foregut that can be extruded to touch the food before eating.
Substance upon which an organism grows or lives
the underside of a body of a jellyfish.
adapted for sucking or clinging by suction, or having parts or organs that are adapted for sucking or clinging.
Coniferous or boreal forest, located in a band across northern North America, Europe, and Asia. This terrestrial biome also occurs at high elevations. Long, cold winters and short, wet summers. Few species of trees are present; these are primarily conifers that grow in dense stands with little undergrowth. Some deciduous trees also may be present.
Referring to the science of hierarchically classifying animals by groups (e.g. genus and species) which share common features and are thought to have a common descent.
Living on the ground.
a free-swimming marine larva characteristic of most molluscs, certain ectoprocts, brachiopods, and marine worms. This larva locomotes using a preoral circlet of cilia and sometimes a secondary circlet behind the mouth. Synapomorphy of the Trochozoa
A terrestrial biome similar to tropical deciduous forest, but most trees are small, the dry season is prolonged, and many plant species bear thorns.
A terrestrial biome with low, shrubby or mat-like vegetation found at extremely high latitudes or elevations, near the limit of plant growth. Soils usually subject to permafrost. Plant diversity is typically low and the growing season is short.
A shallow, usually sharply defined depression in a desert region, frequently comprising a bed or valley of a stream that is usually dry except during the rainy season and that often forms an oasis.
A term applied to certain species of wild pigs. The warty pigs are so-called because the adult males typically develop three pairs of warts: on the cheek swellings, on the jaw angle, and above the canine root flanges.
An Arabic term for the great sand deserts, or sand seas, of the Sahara Desert (actually, the term erg in Arabic means a vein or belt). An erg can be as large as France, covering well over 260,000 sq km (100,000 sq mi). An erg consists mostly of sand, shaped by the wind into dunes, and it may contain salt flats and the exposed gravel surface of the desert floor. (Langewiesche 1996)
a term used to describe the position of a body structure or characteristic. Something which is dorsoventrally oriented extends from the back (dorsal side) to the front (ventral side).
Areas of the deep sea floor where continental plates are being pushed apart. Oceanic vents are places where hot sulfur-rich water is released from the ocean floor. An aquatic biome.
Any of the usually paired organs in animals that produce reproductive cells (gametes). These include female ovaries, which produce eggs, and male testes, which produce sperm. Gonads also secrete hormones that influence secondary sexual characteristics.
excrement of seabirds or bats
development from egg to adult form occurs through intermediate phases in which the animals are very different, morphologically, ecologically, and etc. from the adult. Any development which involves a larval stage, as in insects and many amphibians, is a form of indirect development.
A one-sided relationship between two species, in which only one benefits and the other is neither benefited nor harmed (e.g. epiphytes such as orchids).
oriented towards or from the side or sides.
a form of body symmetry in which the parts of an animal are arranged concentrically around a central oral/aboral axis and more than one imaginary plane through this axis results in halves that are mirror-images of each other. Examples are cnidarians (Phylum Cnidaria, jellyfish, anemones, and corals).
the eggs or egg mass of fish or crustaceans.
Referring to an animal such as a seal pulling itself ashore.
referring to the means by which water content and salt and mineral concentrations of body fluids are controlled in animals and protozoans.
a bundle of nervous tissue containing many synapses and cell-bodies and contained within a sheath of connective tissue. Most ganglia (plural) occur outside of the central nervous system.
Food brought back up into the mouth by an animal from its first stomach to be chewed again (see Ruminant).
a climate or habitat characterized by little precipitation, by evaporation exceeding precipitation, and by sparse vegetation.
An area dominated by low-growing shrubs with woody stems and narrow leaves (e.g. heather), which often predominate on acidic or upland soils.
A small marine crustacean only a few millimeters (less than 1/8) in diameter.
A tropical forest that has developed on sheltered, muddy shores of deltas and estuaries exposed to tide. The vegetation is almost entirely woody.
This terrestrial biome includes summits of high mountains, either without vegetation or covered by low, tundra-like vegetation.
an opening in the surface of a plant ovule through which the pollen tube passes.
Influenced by the soil rather than the climate.
A group of islands.
uses sound to communicate
A member of the mammalian family Cervidae, which includes deer, caribour, moose, reindeer, elk, and others.
referring to a condition that may or may not occur in a species, for instance facultative mutualisms are ones where one or both species that have a mutualistic relationship may also have populations that live independently of that mutualism.
the nearshore aquatic habitats near a coast, or shoreline.
Luxuriant forest lining the banks of waterways.
Living or growing in moist places.
forest biomes are dominated by trees, otherwise forest biomes can vary widely in amount of precipitation and seasonality.
describing the part of an animal, or position of a structure, that is oriented towards the front in normal locomotion.
an error in chronology when an event is recorded as having occurred after its real time.
a polysaccharide comprised of derivatives of glucose. It is structurally similar to cellulose and is used to harden or strengthen structures in various invertebrates, such as the cuticle of arthropods, and in fungi.
this species has a close beneficial relationship with at least one other plant or animal species. It helps the other species live, and the other species helps it.
a dormant, tough-coated cluster of cells produced by freshwater sponges for development in more favorable conditions.
the roof of the mouth in vertebrates. The palate can either completely or partially separate the nasal and oral cavities and consists of a hard palate (bony or cartilaginous part) and a soft palate (soft tissues).
An area on the Brazil-Bolivia-Paraguay frontier that covers more than 100,000 sq km (38,000 sq mi) and is best characterized by its low degree of land relief and annual flooding; swampy savanna.
An aquatic biome consisting of the open ocean, far from land, does not include sea bottom (benthic zone).
Referring to the pattern of evolutionary descent.
an animal that mainly eats fish
act of carrying pollen to other flowers, helping plants to reproduce.
having more than one female as a mate at one time
to replace a lost or damaged organ or part through formation of new tissues.
Referring to something living or located adjacent to a waterbody (usually, but not always, a river or stream).
The scientific name of an animal consists of two levels of its taxonomic classification, the genus and species. Scientific names are in Latin. They are usually printed in italics, with the genus capitalized. Thus the scientific name of the tiger is Panthera (genus) tigris (species). Sometimes a species is further subdivided into subspecies, and the subspecies name is added to the scientific name. Thus the Siberian tiger's scientific name is Panthera tigris altaica. Once the genus and species have been mentioned, they are usually abbreviated in subsequent occurrences (e.g. the Siberian tiger's scientific name would be written P. t. altaica.)
a larva of a scyphozoan (Phylum Cnidara, Class Scyphozoa, a group of jellyfish), made up of an elongated and constricted polyp which buds off swimming medusae.
The Ganges, Brahmaputra and Meghna River come together in Bangladesh to form a 10,000 sq km (3850 sq mi) delta, the largest in the world. At the edge of the delta is the Sundarbans, the world's largest mangrove forest.
the functional specialization of segments of the body in metamerically segmented animals, resulting of a subdivision of the body into distinct regions (tagmata).
An exclusive area maintained through overt defense or advertisement; the part of the home range of an animal that is protected, by fighting or aggressive gestures, from others of its own kind, during some phase of its life.
The term is used in the 1994 IUCN Red List of Threatened Animals to refer collectively to species categorized as Endangered (E), Vulnerable (V), Rare (R), Indeterminate (I), or Insufficiently Known (K) and in the 1996 IUCN Red List of Threatened Animals to refer collectively to species categorized as Critically Endangered (CR), Endangered (EN), or Vulnerable (VU).
A hoofed mammal which is usually adapted for running. Includes deer, cattle, gazelles, horses, elephants, and hyraxes. Most are large herbivores. The term no longer has taxonomic significance.
On the lower or bottom side or surface.
An animal (including amphibians, birds, fish, mammals and reptiles) with a backbone.
movements of a hard surface that are produced by animals as signals to others
The time when a young animal stops nursing and begins utilizing other food.
a larval form of crabs and other decapod crustaceans, characterized by one or more spines on the carapace and by rudimentary limbs on the abdomen and thorax.
animal constituent of plankton; mainly small crustaceans and fish larvae. (Compare to phytoplankton.)
Web application server built on top of an object database and the Python scripting language.
Application server that uses Acquisition Algebra to turn URL paths into traversed object calls (either via bobo__traverse methods or attribute lookups).
a cell formed by the fusion of two gametes, usually a sperm and egg cell. The zygote refers specifically to a fertilized egg before cleavage begins.
Animals with indeterminate growth continue to grow throughout their lives.
a set of eggs laid at any one time, a single reproductive effort of an egg-laying animal.
(as keyword in perception channel section) This animal has a special ability to detect heat from other organisms in its environment.
amount of time in the life of an organism. This is not easy to determine for wild animals. The typical or maximum ages reached by captive animals are often better known (and may be the only information available). However, it can't reflect what most wild populations really experience
seaweed. Algae that are large and photosynthetic.
animals that grow in groups of the same species, often refers to animals which are not mobile, such as corals.
a period of time when growth or development is suspended in insects and other invertebrates, it can usually only be ended the appropriate environmental stimulus.
having markings, coloration, shapes, or other features that cause an animal to be camouflaged in its natural environment; being difficult to see or otherwise detect.
flesh of dead animals.
the time of the year during which mating occurs.
the condition in which individuals are either male or female, male and female gonads do not co-occur in the same individual.
the business of buying and selling animals for people to keep in their homes as pets.
(as perception channel keyword). This animal has a special ability to detect the Earth's magnetic fields.
specialized for leaping or bounding locomotion; jumps or hops.
one of the sexes (usually males) has special physical structures used in courting the other sex or fighting the same sex. For example: antlers, elongated tails, special spurs.
sexes are somehow different in appearance.
having the same appearance (for example, in sexual monomorphism the sexes are alike).
places a food item in a special place to be eaten later. Also called "hoarding"
eats mollusks, members of Phylum Mollusca
specialized for swimming
retaining larval characteristics after reaching sexual maturity. The rate of growth of somatic (nonreproductive) parts of the body is slowed whereas development of reproductive organs proceeds normally.
living in the Nearctic biogeographic province, the northern part of the New World. This includes Greenland, the Canadian Arctic islands, and all of the North American as far south as the highlands of central Mexico.
living in the southern part of the New World. In other words, Central and South America.
living in the northern part of the Old World. In otherwords, Europe and Asia and northern Africa.
found in the oriental region of the world. In other words, India and southeast Asia.
all of the help that a parent gives to its offspring, including (in some cases) feeding, sheltering,and protecting them from predators.
"many forms." A species is polymorphic if its individuals can be divided into two or more easily recognized groups, based on structure, color, or other similar characteristics. The term only applies when the distinct groups can be found in the same area; graded or clinal variation throughout the range of a species (e.g. a north-to-south decrease in size) is not polymorphism. Polymorphic characteristics may be inherited because the differences have a genetic basis, or they may be the result of environmental influences. We do not consider sexual differences (i.e. sexual dimorphism), seasonal changes (e.g. change in fur color), or age-related changes to be polymorphic.
light waves that are oriented in particular direction. For example, light reflected off of water has waves vibrating horizontally. Some animals, such as bees, can detect which way light is polarized and use that information. People cannot, unless they use special equipment.
the time of year during which certain organisms release their gametes or eggs into the water, resulting in fertilization.
the ability of some living organisms to produce light and the emission of this biologically produced light.
having coloration that serves a protective function for the animal, usually used to refer to animals with colors that warn predators of their toxicity. For example: animals with bright red or yellow coloration are often toxic or distasteful.
an organism that provides food or shelter for another organism; often refers to parasitic relationships.
see homoiotherm
having a body temperature that fluctuates with that of the immediate environment; having no mechanism or a poorly developed mechanism for regulating internal body temperature.
the minimum number of kilocalories a resting animal requires to sustain basic physiological processes.
animals that use metabolically generated heat to regulate body temperature independently of ambient temperature. Endothermy is a synapomorphy of the Mammalia, although it may have arisen in a (now extinct) synapsid ancestor; the fossil record does not distinguish these possibilities. Convergent in birds.
animals which must use heat acquired from the environment and behavioral adaptations to regulate body temperature
living in sub-Saharan Africa (south of 30 degrees north) and Madagascar.
Living in Australia, New Zealand, Tasmania, New Guinea and associated islands.
lives on Antarctica, the southernmost continent which sits astride the southern pole.
the process of producing offspring.
the body of water between Europe, Asia, and North America which occurs mostly north of the Arctic circle.
the body of water between Africa, Europe, the southern ocean (above 60 degrees south latitude), and the western hemisphere. It is the second largest ocean in the world after the Pacific Ocean.
animals that regulate their body temperature independently of ambient temperature fluctuations. Homeothermy is a synapomorphy of the Aves.
the outermost of the three germ layers of an animal embryo. Endoderm gives rise to the alimentary canal and the digestive glands of the adult.
the genital pore found in many invertebrates.
a pattern of egg cleavage in early development in which only the yolk-free portion of the egg divides with each cell division. This pattern is found in animals whose eggs contain high proportions of yolk, examples are birds.
a pattern of development from egg to adult where the intermediate forms resemble the adult, morphologicallly and ecologically. Examples are amphibians which do not go through a larval stage and many other vertebrates.
1.In brachiopods (Phylum Brachiopoda), a pair of feathery structures forming part of the lophophore, they are used in food collecting. 2. In crinoids (Phylum Echinodermata, Class Crinoidea), the long, plated, flexible arms containing a water vessel, from which the tube feet arise. When feeding the tube feet are extended, at other times they are covered by brachial plates. Smaller arms coming from the main brachia are called pinnules and are made up of pinnular plates. Singular: brachium.
a term used to describe animals which burrow or live under the snow.
a distribution that more or less circles the Arctic, so occurring in both the Nearctic and Palearctic biogeographic regions.
Found in northern North America and northern Europe or Asia.
Paired openings that allow movement of water from the pharynx to the exterior of the organism. Synapomorphy of the Chordata+Hemichordata.
A stiff hair-like structure, made of chitin, often found on fleshy appendages. Synapomorphy of the Annelida.
A system of tubes that allow air to permeate the body of invertebrates. Trachea (singular). Synapomorphy of the Myriopoda+Insecta, convergently found in Onychophora.
A secondary body cavity between the gut and body wall, containing visceral organs and gonads, completely surrounded by mesoderm. Synapomorphy of Onychophora+Tardigrada+Arthropoda. Convergent within Trochozoa and Deuterostomia.
The skull has one pair of openings, located in a lateral temporal position, through which the jaw muscles attach. Synapomorphy of the mammals and close mammalian relatives (Pelycosaurs, "Early Therapsids", and Cynodonts).
The first two cervical vertebrae of the neck, evolved to maximize movement of the head. Synapomorphy of the Mammalia+Cynodonts.
The skull has two pairs of temporal openings, one dorsal and one lateral. Synapomorphy of the Diapsida.
Four chambered heart keeps oxygenated and oxygen-depleted blood flowing separately within the heart. Synapomorphy of the mammalia, although it may have arisen in a (now extinct) synapsid ancestor; the fossil record does not distinguish these possibilities. Convergent in birds, crocodiles, and possibly dinosaurs.
A network of ducts filled with water that is used to move echinoderm tentacles and tubefeet via changes in water pressure. Synapomorphy of the Helicoplacopids+Camptostromata+Crinoidea+Asteroidea+Ophiuroidea+Echinoidea+Holothuroidea.
A ring of hollow tentacles which are extensions of the coelomic cavity (mesocoel). The lophophore surrounds the mouth and is covered with cilia to move water bearing food particles into the animal's mouth. Synapomorphy of the Lophophorates.
A rodlike cellular structure running the length of the organisms body which strengthens and supports the body in place of a vertebral column, and supports muscle attachment and bends to support a broad range of locomotory movements. Remains as a cellular structure in protochordates and jawless vertebrates; in jawed vertebrates it is largely or completely replaced during development by cartilage or bony vertabrae. Synapomorphy of the Chordata.
A secondary bony roof of the mouth which completely separates the nasal passages from the mouth. This allows the organism to breathe while eating or holding food in its mouth, and for young to breathe while nursing. Synapomorphy of the Mammalia+Cynodonts, also found convergently in the Crocodilia.
A thickened portion of the midbody segments involved in receiving sperm and eggs after copulation. Synapomorphy of the Oligochaeta+Hirudinea.
radial grooves along which tube feet project to the exterior of the organism.
An egg protected by a series of membranes: the amnion, which surrounds the embryo with a constant amniotic fluid environment; the allantois, which allows gas diffusion and waste removal; the yolk sac, providing a food source for the embryo; and the chorion, a protective layer around the entire egg. Synapomorphy of the Amniota.
An extension of the umbrella which curls inward and functions in swimming. Similar in function to a velum or other hydrozoa, but structurally different. Synapomorphy of Cubozoa.
Blastopore: external opening of the archenteron in the gastrula during development.
Body covering that is distinct from epithelium.
Bundle of strong threads used to attach the animal (adult mussels and many larval bivalves) to the substratum. Synapomorphy of the Bivalvia.
Cells on the surface of Ctenophore tentacles which produce a sticky substance used to catch food. Synapomorphy of the Ctenophora.
Cells which migrate during neurulation and form most of the peripheral nervous system (as well as many other structures) in the embryo. Synapomorphy of the Craniata.
Coelom pouches out from primitive gut to form three coelomic cavities. Synapomorphy of the Deuterostomia, convergent in the Lophophorates.
Comb-like plates derived from fused cilia and arranged in eight rows on the adult ctenophore, used for locomotion. Synapomorphy of the Ctenophora.
Complete metamorphosis during development, from a growing larvae to a differentiating pupa to a reproducing adult. Synapomorphy of the Holometabola.
Ectodermal thickenings that give rise to sensory structures during development. Synapomorphy of the Craniata.
Upper (proximal) bone in the forelimb of tetrapods. Synapomorphy of the Tetrapoda+Eusthenopteron.
Using legs, rather than body movements, to locomote. Synapomorphy of the Arthropoda+Tartigrada.
Entire third appendage forms jaws. Synapomorphy of the Insecta+Myriapoda.
Excretory tubules opening into the midgut which function to remove nitrogenous wastes in the form of uric acid. Synapomorphy of the Myriapoda+Insecta. Convergent in Arachnids.
Eye composed of ommatidia (singular, ommatidium). Synapomorphy of the Arthropoda.
Free edges on the septa in the gastrovascular cavity of anthozoans, which contain nematocysts to help paralyze prey. Synapomorphy of Anthozoa.
Eye with cornea, lens, chambers and retina. Synapomorphy of the Sepioidea+Decapoda+Octapoda+Vampyromorpha.
Cells lining the gastrovascular cavity. Synapomorphy of Scyphozoa+Cubozoa+Anthozoa.
Glands containing noxious fluids which can be released to discourage predators. Synapomorphy of the Myriapoda, also independently evolved in other invertebrate lineages.
Grooves on the pharyngeal sack of urochordates and hemichordates, containing cilia and thick mucus, which filter food particles from the water siphoned into the pharynx and carry them to the esophagus for digestion. Synapomorphy of the Chordata.
Grooves that run down the pharynx to the mouth, which are covered with cilia and pump water into the animal's body. Synapomorphy of Anthozoa.
Having aortic arches, verntral aorta, and a dorsal aorta. Synapomorphy of the Craniata+Cephalochordata.
Having deciduous, or non-permanent teeth that are replaced by permanent teeth once during the animal's lifespan (instead of continual tooth replacement, as found in more primitive amniotes). Synapomorphy of the Mammalia.
Having segments that differ in function and appearance. Synapomorphy of the Insecta, convergent in the Branchiopoda+Maxillopoda+Malocostraca.
Limbs move parallel to the vertebral column (in the parasagittal plane) and are held vertically, rather than sprawling to the side, as in primitive amniotes. Synapomorphy of the Mammalia+Cynodonts+"Early Therapsids". Also a synapomorphy for the birds+"Dinosauria", although it arose separately in the mammal and the bird lineages.
Living cord which connects all the chambers in septate shells. Synapomorphy of the Cephalopoda.
Metamorphosis in which the organism grows by continual molting to change from a young nymph into an adult without a pupal stage. Synapomorphy of the Pterygota.
Middle ear with three bones: malleus, incus, stapes derived from the branchial skeleton. Synapomorphy of the Mammalia.
Mineral support within the body. Synapomorphy of the Echinodermata.
Muscle segments that comprise the trunk musclature and derivatives of an organism. Synapomorphy of the Craniata+Cephalochordata.
One of the two distal bones in the forelimb of tetrapods. Synapomorphy of tetrapods+Euthenopteron
Producing milk from evolved mammary glands to nourish young. Synapomorphy of the Mammalia.
Shell divided into smaller chambers. Synapomorphy of the Cephalopoda.
Simple eye without a lens.
Specialized feeding tentacles which have knobby ends covered with cilia and mucus to catch food and transport it to the animal's nearby mouth. Synapomorphy of the Scaphopoda.
The blastomeres in the embryo each have a predetermined fate which is not altered during development. Synapomorphy of Protostomia.
The bones of the axial skeleton. Synapomorphy of the Vertebrata.
The fate of blastomeres is initially flexible and determined gradually over the course of development; individual blastomeres can follow a different developmental program if repositioned. Synapomorphy of the Deuterostomia.
The individual optical units of a compound eye. Found in Arthropoda.
The middle of the three germ layers (Ectoderm, mesoderm and endoderm). It is formed during gastrulation, and gives rise to connective tissues, muscle, urogenital and vascular systems, and the peritoneum. Synapomorphy of the Bilateria.
The two atria of the heart are completely separate compartments in all reptiles, but the ventricles are not completely partitioned, except in crocodillians. Laminar flow patterns through the heart keep oxygenated and deoxygenated blood from mixing, however, so reptiles have a functionally divided circulation. Synapomorphy of the Tetrapoda+Eusthenopteron+Dipnoi.
Twisting of the body during development so that the posterior of the body takes a anterior position over the head. Synapomorphy of the Gastropoda.
Two pairs of lobed fins that may have been used like four legs to locomote on the bottom. Synapomorphy of the Sarcopterygii.
Type of development whereby the coelom and mesoderm form as an evagination of the archenteron wall, thus are derived from the endodermal epithelium. Synapomorphy of the Deuterostomia.
living on or in the soil; used of an organism that spends most of its active life on the ground.
an intermediate host which may be needed for the parasite to complete the lifecycle, however, the parasite does not grow or metamorphose into another life stage.
a external pore found on the right side of the mantle in land snails and slugs. Air-breathing gastropods use it for respiration.
Referring to fish that live entirely within oceans.
Referring to fish that live entirely within fresh water.
The study of differences in animal distribution across geographic regions. Often integrates a variety of disciplines, such as ecology, physiology, phylogenetics, paleontology, geology and biogeography.
eats worms (including annelids, nematodes, and other worm-like animals)
providing nourishment
milk-producing glands found in female mammals, consisting of clusters of milk-producing alveoli and a system of ducts for transporting the milk to an external nipple or teat. These glands typically occur in pairs and begin secreting milk after gestation, plural is mammae.
Referring to the physical make-up of an individual, or the expression of a particular trait, such as skin color, that may vary between individuals of similar genetic make-up.
Referring to the genetic make-up of an organism.
These scales are found on sharks and many rays and chimaeras. They consist of a plate-like base just under the skin, with a spine projecting from the back of the plate onto the surface of the skin. Like mammalian teeth, placoid scales have a hard, enamel-like outer layer that surrounds a pulp cavity supplied with blood vessels. Placoid scales do not get larger as the fish grows, but instead increase in number.
Indicates there is no parental involvement by either males or females after fertilization of the egg(s). As in broadcast spawning species that simply release eggs and sperm into the environment and have no further involvement with their offspring.
The study of fishes, which includes bony fishes (Osteichthyes), cartilaginous fishes (Chondrichthyes) and jawless fishes (Agnatha). It is a branch of zoology and, with the extraordinary geographic and taxonomic diversity of fishes, covers a broad range of disciplines.
Referring to fish that must migrate between fresh and salt at some point in their life cycle.
Referring to fish that live primarily in salt water but migrate to fresh water to reproduce. Most of the growth takes place in oceans and no significant feeding occurs when spawning migration commences.
Referring to fish that live primarily in fresh water but migrate to salt water to reproduce. Most of the growth takes place in fresh water and no significant feeding occurs when spawning migration commences
Referring to fish that migrate between fresh and salt water, but not as part of their life cycle. Migrations usually occur for short periods of feeding, and amphidromy is common among fishes that inhabit islands.
Referring to an organ or appendage that can be quickly extended or thrust out, such as the mouth of many fishes.
Referring to an ecologically distinct group of species descended from a single parent (monophyletic) that have evolved in an isolated geographic area (i.e. lake or island).
Referring to a group of organisms with a single, common ancestor, but not containing all of the descendants of that common ancestor within the group.
Referring to a group of organisms that do not share a common ancestor.
in marsupial mammals, an external pouch or fold in which the mammae occur and in which young continue to develop after birth. Temporary eternal folds, sometimes called marsupia, may form in other groups of animals (fish, crustaceans, amphibians) for the purpose of egg protection or incubation.
The science of classifying organisms based on their evolutionary relationships, most often using shared-derived (synapomorphic) characters such as genetic, morphological, physiological, and behavioral characters.
the commitment of energy and resources in order to enhance the survival or number of offspring
one of two or more scientific names that have been applied to a given taxon (species, genus, family, etc.). A synonym is a name by which a taxon was previously known, but is no longer considered the valid name.
activity that takes place at irregular intervals during a 24-hour day.
offspring is able to locomote and feed or care for itself soon after birth/hatching, often to a limited extent. In birds, covered with down and able to move about soon after hatching.
a structure for protection from the elements and/or predators, usually used for protecting and raising babies.
the coat of feathers of a bird
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