Module 16

Question 1

Neurotoxin

Answer 1

A poison that attacks the nervous system, Causing blindness, Paralysis, or suffocation.

Question 2

hemotoxin

Answer 2

A poison that attacks the red blood cells and blood vessels, destroying circulation.

Question 3

Endotherm

Answer 3

an organism that is internally warmed by a heat generating metabolic process.

Question 4

down feathers

Answer 4

Feathers with smooth barbules but no hooked barbules

Question 5

contour feathers

Answer 5

feathers with hooked and smooth barbules, allowing the barbules to interlock.

Question 6

Placenta

Answer 6

A structure that allows an embryo to be nourished with the mothers blood supply.

Question 7

`Gestation

Answer 7

the period of time during which an embryo develops before being born.

Question 8

Mammary Glands

Answer 8

Specialized organs in Mammals that produces milk to nourish the young.

Question 9

State the five characteristics that set reptiles apart from other vertebrates.

Answer 9

1. Covered with tough, dry scales.
2. Ectothermic
3. Breathe with lungs throughout their lives.
4. three-chambered heart with a ventricle that is partially divided.
5. Produce Amniotic eggs covered with a leathery shell, most oviparous, some ovoviviparous.

Question 10

In this module, we studied reptiles, birds, and mammals. For each class, indicate whether they are
ectothermic or endothermic.

Answer 10

Reptiles are Ectothermic, while birds and Mammals are Endothermic.

Question 11

State the functions of the yolk, the allantois, and the albumen.

Answer 11

the yolk serves as nourishment for the developing embryo. The allantois allows the embryo to breathe, and the albumen destroys pathogens that can enter the egg as well as supplying water and amino acid to the embryo.

Question 12

Reptiles have a growth-related characteristic in common with the arthropods. What is it?

Answer 12

they must both molt because their body covering is not living.

Question 13

What are the two most important functions of reptile scales?

Answer 13

scales prevent water loss and insulate the reptiles body.

Question 14

These are the reptile orders that contain currently living reptiles:
Rhynchocephalia, Squamata, Crocodilia, Testudines
Place the following types of reptiles into their appropriate order:
a. snakes b. tuataras c. lizards d. tortoises e. alligators f. turtles

Answer 14

a. Squamata.
b. Rhynchocephalia.
c. Squamata.
d. Testudines.
e. Crocodilia.
f. Testudines.

Question 15

State the six characteristics that set birds apart from other vertebrates.

Answer 15

endothermic
heart with 4 chambers
toothless bill
oviparous, laying an amniotic egg that is covered in a lime-containing shell
covered with feathers
skeleton composed of porous, lightweight bones (not a characteristic for all birds)

Question 16

Do all birds fly?

Answer 16

no. there are two orders of flightless birds.

Question 17

A blood sample comes from the ventricle of an animal that is either an amphibian or a bird. How
can you tell which?

Answer 17

if the blood sample has a mix of oxygen-rich and oxygen-poor blood, it comes from an Amphibian. if it has only one or the other it comes from a bird.

Question 18

Which has a harder shell: the egg of a reptile or the egg of a bird?

Answer 18

the lime of a bird egg makes it harder than a reptilian egg.

Question 19

You see some barbs from a feather. You have no idea whether they came from a down feather or
a contour feather. Looking at the barbs under the microscope, however, you see that there are no
hooked barbules. What kind of feather is it?

Answer 19

down feathers (they have no hooked barbules)

Question 20

What type of feather (down or contour) is used for flight? What kind is used for insulation?

Answer 20

contour feathers are used for flight, while down feathers are used for insulation.

Question 21

What is a bird actually doing when it is preening?

Answer 21

when preening, a bird is actually oiling its feathers.

Question 22

What is unique about a bird’s method of molting?

Answer 22

a birds feathers molt in pairs. one or a few at a time, insects and reptiles molt their entire bodies.

Question 23

What three things (at least) did flight engineers have to learn from birds to make practical flight
possible?

Answer 23

flight engineers learned the proper structure of a wing from birds. they also learned how to make strong, hollow tubes from studying bird bones. finally they learned how to reduce wing turbulence from birds.

Question 24

Which is heavier, a bird’s bone or the same size bone from an amphibian?

Answer 24

the amphibians bone is heavier. bird bones have air filled cavities that make them lighter.

Question 25

State the five characteristics that set mammals apart from other vertebrates.

Answer 25

hair covering the skin
reproduce with internal fertilization and usually viviparous.
nourish thier young with milk secreted from specialized glands.
four-chambered heart.
endothermic.

Question 26

What is the principal function of underhair?

Answer 26

underhairs main job is insulation

Question 27

What do we usually see when we look at a mammal, underhair or guard hair?

Answer 27

we usually see mammals guard hair, because that whats on top.

Question 28

Name a nonplacental mammal.

Answer 28

kangaroos, koalas and opossums.

Question 29

What is the main difference between offspring born after a long gestation period and offspring
born after a short gestation period?

Answer 29

offspring born after a long gestation period are more developed than those born after a short gestation period.