Taxonomy, Fish, Amphibians, Reptiles

saltwater fish (osmoregulation)

during osmoregulation, this fish has to constantly drink water because they keep losing more water to their surroundings; their urine is concentrated with ions making it a thick paste

freshwater fish (osmoregulation)

during osmoregulation, this fish takes on too much water so the kidney works to get rid of all the excess water by making diluted urine

pectoral fin

each of a pair of fins situated on either side just behind a fish's head, helping to control the direction of movement during locomotion. They correspond to the forelimbs of other vertebrates.

Diadromy

fishes that move between fresh and saltwater to complete their lifecycles

operculum

flap that covers the gills

lateral line

nervous sensory system that detects vibrations

Vestigial Structures

A historical remnant of a structure that has little of no use in a modern organism but had a function in ancestors; such as a humans coccyx (tail bone).

Nictitating Membrane

A protective eyelid that some species of fish, amphibians, reptiles, and birds have

Parasitism

A relationship between two organisms of different species where one benefits and the other is harmed

Commensalism

A relationship between two organisms of different species where one benefits and the other is neither harmed nor benefited

Mutualism

A relationship between two species in which both species benefit

Urostyle

A special vertebrae structure at the base of anurans backbone that helps absorb the shock on the spine from jumping.

Phylum Chordata

A taxonomic group that contains fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals

order

A taxonomic rank used in classifying organisms, generally below the class, and comprised of families sharing a set of similar nature or character

Metamorphosis

A transformation or dramatic change of body forms as an animal grows.

pelvic fin

one of the paired fins positioned in the ventral, posterior portion of the body

gas bladder

organ that allows fish to be buoyant

Animal

organisms that are multicellular, hetertophic, lack a cell wall, and have eukaryotic cells

caudal fin

tail fin

Carolus Linnaeus

the father of modern taxonomy, grouped organisms by structural similarity

Aristotle

the first person to classify living organisms

A scientific name is always written in this form:

the first word, genus, is capitalized, the second word, species, is written in lower case and it is in italics or underlined

domain

the highest taxonomic rank of organisms; there are three of them that all life goes into: bacteria, archae, eukarya

Latin

the language used to classify organisms

Taxonomy

the science of classifying living things

8 Levels of Classification

Domain Kingdom Phylum Class Order Family Genus Species

Outer skin in reptiles

Water-tight dry scales

Outer skin in amphibians

Wet mucous-covered skin with no scales

Heat-sensing pits

Used by pit vipers, boas, and pythons; detect infrared radiation (heat); used in nocturnal hunting for "warm-blooded" prey

Tetrapods

Vertebrates that live on land such as amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals.

Internal Fertilization

When eggs and sperm meet inside of an animals body. Most reptiles, birds, and mammals mate this way.

External Fertilization

When eggs and sperm meet outside of an animals body. Most fish and many amphibians mate this way.

species

a group of living organisms consisting of similar individuals capable of exchanging genes or interbreeding. The species is the principal natural taxonomic unit, ranking below a genus and denoted by a Latin binomial, e.g., Homo sapiens

Dichotomous Key

a key for the identification of organisms based on a series of choices between alternative characters.

class

a major taxonomic rank below the phylum (or division) and above the order

4 characteristics of chordates

a notochord. a dorsal hollow nerve cord. pharyngeal slits. post-anal tail.

phylum

a principal taxonomic category that ranks above class and below kingdom.

genus

a principal taxonomic category that ranks above species and below family, and is denoted by a capitalized Latin name, e.g., Leo

binomial nomenclature

a system for naming organisms by means of two Latin names: the first indicating the genus and the second the species to which the organism belongs, as in Panthera leo

kingdom

a taxonomic category of almost the highest rank, grouping together all forms of life having certain fundamental characteristics in common; there are six of these taxa: Animalia, Plantae, Protista, Eubacteria, Archaebacteria, Fungi

autotroph

an organism capable of synthesizing its own food from inorganic substances using light or chemical energy

eukaryote

an organism consisting of a cell or cells in which the genetic material is DNA in the form of chromosomes contained within a distinct nucleus and numerous specialized organelles

dorsal fin

an unpaired fin on the back of a fish or whale, e.g., the tall triangular fin of a shark or killer whale.

Green Anaconda

The world's heaviest snake

Giant Japanese Salamander

The world's largest Amphibian (and salamander)

Komodo Dragon

The world's largest lizard

Nile Crocodile & Saltwater Crocodile

The world's largest reptiles (and largest crocodilians)

Leatherback Sea Turtle

The world's largest turtle

Reticulated Python

The world's longest snake

Chytrid or Chytridiomycosis

A disease that is caused by a fungal parasite that is partially causing and contributing to amphibian populations worldwide decline

Parthenogenesis

A form of asexual reproduction which involves the development of an embryo from an unfertilized egg. Some reptiles and amphibians are capable of this so called "virgin birth".

Number of chambers in the heart of an amphibian

3

Number of chambers in the heart of a lizard, snake, or turtle

3 with a partially separated ventricle

Number of chambers in the heart of a crocodilian

4

Phylogenetic Tree

A branching tree-like depiction that is based around organisms evolutionary history and the relatedness of the organisms.

cladogram

A branching treelike diagram used to organize living things based on measurable traits and not necessarily evolutionary relationships.

Ampullae of Lorenzini

An electrical current sensory organ in the snout of cartilaginous fish.

heterotroph

An organism that cannot manufacture its own food and instead obtains its food and energy by taking in organic substances, usually plant or animal matter

Sarcopterygii

Bony fish with lobed fins, these include humans and other land vertebrates closest fish relatives

Actinopterygii

Bony fish with ray fins, these include most fish today, with the big exception being cartilaginous fish and lobe-finned fish

Class Amphibia

Contains frogs, toads, newts, salamanders, and caecilians

Osteichthyes

Fish with a bony endoskeleton; includes fish like salmon, trout, perch, bass, swordfish, clownfish, and 26,000 other species

Chondrichthyes

Fish with a cartilaginous endoskeleton; includes sharks, skate, rays, and ratfish.

Scientific Name for Man

Homo sapiens - which has to be either underlined or in italics

Respiratory system in reptiles

Just lungs

Allantois

Layer of the amniotic egg that collects and stores wastes from the growing embryo

Chorion

Layer of the amniotic egg that is used to regulate gas exchange and the diffusion of oxygen and carbon dioxide into and out of the egg.

Yolk sac

Layer of the amniotic egg that provides the growing embryo with nutrients.

Amnion

Layer of the amniotic egg that surrounds the growing embryo and keeps it from drying out and provides cushion and support

Paedomorphic/Neotenic

Retaining characteristics of an early stage in development into adulthood

Parietal/Pineal Eye

Third eye on the top of the head of certain reptile species (most notably tuatara). It is involved with dictating physiological cycles of the animal.

Jacobson's organ

Sense organ on snake's roof of mouth which detects airborne chemicals.

Synapomorphies

Shared characteristics that are used to distinguish and describe organism relationships on a cladogram; such as vertebrae, limbs, amniotic egg, endothermic, fur, etc...

Amniotic eggs

Shelled eggs which reptiles, birds, and a few mammals have.

Analogous Structure

Similar structures due to adaptations from similar evolutionary pressures (convergent evolution) and not a common ancestor.

Respiratory system in amphibians

Skin, lungs, and when young gills

Homologous Structures

Structures in different species that are similar because of common ancestry; such as the arm bones of a human and a dog

Order Gymnophiona

Taxonomic group containing caecilians

Order Crocodilia

Taxonomic group containing crocodiles, alligators, gharials, and caimans

Order Anura

Taxonomic group containing frogs and toads

Order Urodela

Taxonomic group containing salamanders and newts

Class Reptilia

Taxonomic group containing snakes, lizards, crocodilians, turtles, extinct dinosaurs, and technically birds.

Order Squamata

Taxonomic group containing snakes, lizards, worm-lizards, and legless lizards.

Order Rhynchocephalia

Taxonomic group containing tuataras

Order Testudines

Taxonomic group containing turtles and tortoises

Carapace

The dorsal (top) part of a turtle shell

Phylogeny

The evolutionary history of a species or group of related species.

Placoid scales

The hard teeth-like scales of cartilaginous fish

Perciformes

The largest fish Order, this includes fish that are perch-like; this Order contains upwards of 10,000 species of fish.

Convergent evolution

The mechanism that leads to organisms evolving similar adaptations (analogous structures) and forms when they aren't closely related.

Copulation

The physical nature of touching bodies during sex.

Symbiotic relationship

The relationship between two species that live in close association with each other

Herpotology

The scientific study of amphibians and reptiles

Plastron

The ventral (bottom) part of a turtle shell

family

is one of the eight major taxonomic ranks; it is classified between order and genus