Animal Kingdom Basics
These three characteristics define all members of Kingdom Animalia
What is eukaryotic, multicellular, and heterotrophic?
This type of symmetry, features a top and bottom but no left or right sides (ex: starfish)
What is radial symmetry?
Sponges belong to this clade because they possess specialized cells but lack organized tissues
What is parazoa?
These specialized stinging cells in Cnidarians contain a "harpoon-like" organelle used for defense and capturing prey
What are cnidocytes?
Arthropods are protected by a tough exoskeleton made primarily of this nitrogen-containing polysaccharide
What is chitin?
This rapid period of animal evolution occurred 500 million years ago, leading to the emergence of most modern phyla
What is the Cambrian Explosion?
Animals with three tissue layers (ectoderm, mesoderm, and endoderm) are described by this term
What is triploblastic?
These flagellated "collar cells" are used by sponges for feeding, excretion, and reproduction
What are choanocytes?
Cnidarians typically exhibit these two body plans: a sessile version and a motile, bell-shaped version
What are polyp and medusa?
Instead of a closed system, arthropods have this type of circulation where fluid is pumped into a cavity called a hemocoel
What is an open circulatory system?
This is Supergroup under Domain Eukarya includes both the animal kingdom and fungi
What is Opisthokonta?
In these organisms, the blastopore formed during embryonic development eventually becomes the mouth
What are protostomes?
Water is expelled from the sponge's body through this large, central opening
What is the osculum?
Common in Phylum Nematoda, this type of body cavity is only partially lined with mesoderm
What is a pseudocoelom?
This subphylum includes Class Insecta and is characterized by having exactly six legs
What is hexapoda?
While most animals reproduce sexually, this "exception to the rule" involves the development of an embryo from an unfertilized egg
What is parthenogenesis?
This is a fluid-filled space within the mesoderm layer that houses the organs
What is a coelom?
These structural elements, made of glass or calcium carbonate, provide support for the sponge's body
What are spicules?
Members of this class, commonly called "box jellies," possess a box-shaped medusa and are considered the most dangerous of all cnidarians
What is class Cubozoa?
Members of the myriapoda subphylum (of arthropoda) are herbivores distinguished by having two sets of legs per body segment
What is Diplopoda (millipedes)?
These five events throughout Earth's history resulted in major losses of diversity, often caused by sudden climate change or tectonic events
What are Mass Extinction Events (MSE)?
These highly conserved homeobox genes are responsible for controlling the basic body form of an animal
What are hox genes?
This is the most complex sponge body form, characterized by the highest number of choanocytes and efficient waste removal
What is the leuconoid form?
This transparent nematode, which has exactly 959 cells, is a critical model organism in genetic and developmental research
What is C. elegans?
Spiders and ticks are part of a subphylum named for these specific claw-like or fang-like mouthparts
What are chelicerae?