- Taxonomic terminology
For Vertebrate Zoological taxonomic terminology, refer to the handout on taxonomic conventions. - Developmental terminology
- Fertilization
- fusion of gametes (egg and sperm; the haploid cells of an individual) to form a zygote.
- Zygote
- the diploid, single-celled product of fertilization; a fertilized egg.
- Cleavage
- process of nuclear division (mitosis) and cellular division (cytokinesis) in an animal embryo.
- Blastulation
- early embryological stage of many animals; consists of a hollow mass of diploid cells called blastomeres. The embryo at this stage is called a blastula.
- Gastrulation
- intermediate embryonic stage, usually cap-, sac-, or cup-shaped with walls of two layers of cells surrounding an internal cavity called the archenteron (primitive gut) and with one opening called a blastopore. In protostomates (most of the invertebrates except for echinoderms, invertebrate chordates, and some minor spp.) the blastopore becomes the mouth, and the anus develops from a region distal to the blastopore. In deuterostomates (echinoderms, some minor spp. of invertebrates, and all chordates including both vertebrate and invertebrate members) the blastopore becomes the anus and the mouth develops from a secondary location distal to the blastopore.
- Anatomical terminology
- Tissue
- collection of specialized cells all with the same morphology and similar function (e.g. blood, skin, hair, cardiac muscle).
- Organ
- collection of tissues that make up a specialized structure with a defined function (e.g. heart - made up of cardiac tissue).
- System
- collection of organs with specialized, related functions (e.g. circulatory system - heart, veins, arteries, capillaries, etc.).
- Body plan and other anatomical terms
- Spherical
- any plan passing through center in any direction will result in like or similar halves.
- Biradial
- only two planes passing through the longitudinal axis will result in truly similar halves.
- Bilateral
- only a sagittal plane (plane made longitudinally through the dorsoventral axis) will divide the body into like halves.
- Anterior
- front end, head, cephalic, or cranial region of the body.
- Posterior
- tail or hind region of an organism.
- Dorsal
- back, top, or upper side of the body, depending on the natural orientation of the organism.
- Ventral
- belly, bottom, or lower side of the body, depending on the natural orientation of the organism.
- Lateral
- left or right side of the body; either side of the body left or right of the midline.
- Distal
- away, far, or distant from the base, location, or point of attachment of some other region, structure, or point of reference.
- Proximal
- toward, near, or closely-associated with the base, location, or point of attachment of some other region, structure, or point of reference.
- Frontal
- longitudinal section made at a right angle to a sagittal section; plane made longitudinally through the left / right lateral axis.
- Transverse
- section made at a right angle to the longitudinal plane; also called a cross section.
- Keying of invertebrates
Beginning on page 391 of your lab manual, key out to " class" , the organisms which you are given. List the sequence of numbers for each couplet used along the way from beginning to end (i.e. start at number 1 and then list each number for the corresponding couplets used from there on).
For insect specimens, key out to " order" , using the key on page 71 after you have listed the couplets from the " class" , key. - Keying of vertebrates
Beginning on page 391 of your lab manual, key out to " class" , the organisms which you are given. List the sequence of numbers for each couplet used along the way from beginning to end (i.e. start at number 1 and then list each number for the corresponding couplets used from there on).
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