Discussion Questions 1
What are three characteristics of amphibians?
Amphibians are the smallest groups of vertebrates. They are cold-blooded. Amphibians begin life in the water breathing through gills. As they mature, they grow lungs and legs so they can live on land.
Briefly describe the typical amphibian life cycle
First, embryos develop inside eggs. They hatch as either a tadpole or a larva. The tadpole or larva undergoes metamorphosis to develop into an adult. The adult matures, mates, and lays eggs so that the cycle can begin again.
What is an amphibian?
A cold-blooded vertebrate that lives partly in water and partly on land.
What is a tadpole?
The immature form of a frog or toad
What are scales?
Small, overlapping plates that protect the skin
What are the four main groups of reptiles?
1) Crocodilians 2) Tortoises and Turtles 3) Snakes 4) Lizards
Briefly describe each group of reptiles
1) Crocodilians: large carnivores, strong jaws, powerful tails, lay eggs on land, fiercely guard nests
2) Turtles and Tortoises: hard shell that covers most of body, can pull head, legs, and tail inside shell
3) Snakes: carnivorous reptiles that move by wriggling
4) Lizards: most have four legs and can regrow their tails
What is an ectotherm?
An animal whose temperature varies with its surroundings; ectothermic animals are also called cold-blooded
What is a reptile?
A cold-blooded vertebrate with scaly skin
What is a clutch?
A set of eggs
What are three characteristics that enable birds to be so efficient at flight?
Feathers, hollow bones, strong breast muscles
What is a syrinx and what is its purpose?
It is a structure unique to birds that is used to make their calls.
What is a crop?
A pouch in a bird's digestive system
What is a gizzard?
A chamber in an animal's stomach that grinds up food
What is a fledgling?
A young bird at the time it leaves the nest
What are three types of fish and their main characteristics?
The three main types of fish are bony fish, cartilaginous fish, and jawless fish. Cartilaginous fish have skeletons and leathery skin, not scales. Jawless fish have a sucking mouth. Bony fish have a skeleton that is made of bones and scales covering their bodies.
Explain how a fish breathes in the water
A fish breathes by drawing water into its mouth and passing that water through the gills. In the gills, dissolved oxygen from the water is absorbed. Then, water exits the fish's body through slits in the gills.
What are gills?
An organ used to breathe underwater
What is a swim bladder?
A gas-filled bag that helps a fish to float in water
What is a vertebrate?
Name the three groups of mammals and explain how each one reproduces
1) Placental mammals: female's placenta provides all the nutrients for the growing baby; they give birth to fully formed young
2) Marsupial mammals: give birth to poorly developed young that find their way into a pouch for the rest of their development
3) Monotremes: they lay eggs
How is an animal's lifespan related to growth and reproduction?
The longer an animal takes to mature, mate, and reproduce, the longer its expected lifespan
What is an endotherm?
An animal with a constant temperature
What is a mammal?
A warm-blooded animal with hair that feeds its young on milk
What is a mammary gland?
The milk-producing organ of a female animal