Chordates Flashcards
Chordate zoology is what type of biology
whole-organism biology (not just cell, function, form,.. everything)
organismal biology
research at the level of the whole organism, integrated over structure, function, ecology, and evolution
organism structure
anatomy, morphology
organism function
physiology, behaviour
evolution
phylogeny
functional morphology
focuses on the link between form (morphology) and performance
ecological morphology
focuses on the link between performance and ecology (ecomorphs, ecomorphotypes)
ecomorph
species with the same structural habitat/niche, similar in morphology and behavior, but not necessarily close phyletically
ecomorphotype
Any morphological modification caused by, or related to, specific ecological conditions
integrative biology
near synonym for organismal biology; brings different aspects of organisms and their environment together
comparative biology
an area of research that attempts to explain biodiversity and its adaptive radiation in a phylogenetic (historical) framework (comparative method)
how phylogeny tests/explains hypotheses
natural history
scientific study of the organism in its natural surroundings
kinds of chordates
Tunicata
Cephalochordata
Vertebrata
Tunicata includes
tunicates and sea squirts
Tunicata was formerly called
Urochordata (also protochordates- not valid taxonomic name)
Cephalochordata includes
lancelets (amphioxus)
Numbers of chordate species
Tunicata - 2150
Cephalochorddata - 25
Vertebrata - 63 600
*numbers are always changing
tunicates
free-living larva, sessile adult
shared characteristics of chordates
notochord dorsal hollow nerve cord pharyngeal gill slits endostyle muscular postanal tail
notochord
incorporated in vertebral column in vertebrates
stiff, flexible rod, runs length of back, provides connections for body muscles, and support
dorsal hollow nerve cord
spinal cord with brain at anterior end in vertebrates
pharyngeal gill slits
slits in pharynx/throat region through which water passes and food particles are filtered out, involved in filter-feeding and gas exchange
retained in fish- gas exchange
tetrapods- gill slits disappear in adults
gill arches become jaws and other structures in vertebrates
endostyle
ciliated groove before larynx
secretes mucus to trap food
homologous with thyroid gland in vertebrates
muscular postanal tail
extension of the body that runs past the anal opening
only present in embryonic stage of humans