General Knowledge of Animals
What is a Vertebrate?
An animal with a backbone
What does asymmetry mean and what is an example?
Animals that have no symmetry like sea sponges.
What is a fish?
They have scales, breathe through gills, use fins to swim, and go through external fertilization.
What are the general characteristics of vertebrates?
They have a backbone which is part of the endoskeleton, they are covered by protective skin, they have internal organs in a central cavity, and they have a head.
What are the four stages of complete metamorphosis?
1. Egg
2. Larva
3. Pupa
4. Adult
What is an Invertebrate?
An animal without a backbone
What does radial symmetry mean and what is an example?
Animals with symmetry around a center point of axis that have MANY lines of symmetry, like a jellyfish or starfish.
What is an amphibian?
They have moist slimy skin, they breathe through lungs AND their skin, they lay eggs in the water, and go through external fertilization.
What is an ectotherm?
An animal whose body temperature changes with its surroundings.
What are the three stages of incomplete metamorphosis?
1. Egg
2. Nymph
3. Adult
What are the general characteristics of ALL animals?
1. Eukaryotic
2. Multicellular
3. Heterotrophic
4. Motility (ability to move)
5. Digestive System
6. Sexual reproduction
What does bilateral symmetry mean and what is an example?
Animals that have ONE line of symmetry that can be drawn to divide it into halves that are mirror images. Examples are humans and dogs.
What is a reptile?
They have scales, they have four limbs, they lay eggs on land, and they go through internal fertilization.
What is an endotherm?
An animal whose body temperature stays constant in all climates.
What are the small segments that make up the backbone?
Vertebrae
What is internal fertilization? What are the two types?
The joining of sperm and egg cells inside the body. Birds and reptiles lay eggs on land while mammals give birth to live young.
What is metamorphosis and which two animal groups go through this process?
An organism changes from its young form to its adult form. Insects (arthropods) and frogs (amphibians) go through this process.
What is a bird?
They have feathers, they have scales on their feet, they have wings, they lay eggs on land, and they go through internal fertilization.
Daily Double: Which mammals lay eggs?
Platypus and Anteaters are examples of animals that lay eggs.
What does the backbone protect and why?
The spinal cord is protected because it carries signals from the brain to the rest of the body.
What is external fertilization and where does it occur?
The joining of sperm and egg cells outside of the body. This occurs in the WATER.
What is the difference between complete and incomplete metamorphosis?
The difference is that one type has FOUR stages and in each stage the organism looks DIFFERENT, while the other type has THREE stages and there is only one stage the organism looks different.
What is a mammal?
They have hair/fur, they nurse their young with milk, they give birth to live young, and they go through internal fertilization.
Why do animals that participate in external fertilization produce a lot of eggs?
It increases the chances of survival of future offspring (since eggs can be eaten by other animals or be swept away and unable to fuse with sperm)
What is molting?
The process of an insect shedding its old exoskeleton after growing a new one underneath.