Basic Zoology (Concept Based)

Question 1

What are the 11 basic organ systems? What are their function/s?

Answer 1

1. digestive system
2. circulatory system
3. respiratory system
4. immune system
5. excretory system
6. endocrine system
7. reproductive system
8. nervous system
9. integumentary system
10. skeletal system
11. muscular system

Question 2

Which systems are mainly involved in coordination and control?

Answer 2

endocrine and nervous system

Question 3

What is the main difference between the endocrine and nervous system?

Answer 3

endocrine: makes use of chemical signals (hormones)
nervous: makes use of electrical signals (nerve impulse)

Question 4

What is homeostasis?

Answer 4

It is an organism’s ability to maintain internal balance despite what’s happening at the external environment.

Question 5

What is a conformer and what is a regulator?

Answer 5

conformer: organisms that adjust their temp. according to their environment.

regulator: organisms that maintain own temp.

Question 6

What do you mean by endothermic?

Answer 6

: “warm-blooded”
: animals that generate heat via metabolism

Question 7

What do you mean by ectothermic?

Answer 7

: “cold-blooded”
: animals that gain heat from external environment

Question 8

What is an example of an endothermic animal?

Answer 8

mammals and birds

Question 9

What is an example of an ectothermic animal?

Answer 9

reptiles and fish

Question 10

What are the kinds of adaptations animals could use for thermoregulation?

Answer 10

1. insulation
2. circulatory
3. cooling via evaporative heat loss
4. behavioral response
5. adjusting metabolic heat production

Question 11

A lizard may bask in the sun to increase its body temperature, or seek out shade or burrows to cool down. Explain the lizard’s adaptation.

Answer 11

Lizards are ectothermic animals that have evolved a range of behaviors for thermoregulation. Basking in the sun is one such behavior, as the heat from the sun warms their body and increases their internal temperature. to different areas to find the optimal temperature for their needs.

Alternatively, lizards may seek out shade or burrows to cool down when their internal temperature becomes too high. This behavior allows them to avoid overheating, which can lead to dehydration, heat exhaustion, or even death.

Question 12

How is thermoregulation achieved by endothermic animals? What are their specific adaptations?

Answer 12

Endotherms make use of behavioral and physiological mechanisms.

For instance, when an endotherm’s body temperature rises, blood vessels dilate, allowing more blood flow to dissipate heat.

Another example is when humans exercise. We increase our breathing to take in more oxygen and also cool down through sweating or by drinking water.

Question 13

What do you mean by positive feedback? Give examples.

Answer 13

Body amplifies response.

E.g. lactation, blood clotting, onset of labor

Question 14

What do you mean by negative feedback? Give examples.

Answer 14

Body returns to set point.

E.g. body temperature, blood ph, osmoregulation, blood sugar

Question 15

What are the main processes involved in the digestive system?

Answer 15

1. ingestion
2. digestion
3. absorption
4. elimination
5. assimilation

Question 16

What are the feeding mechanisms?

Answer 16

1. suspension feeders
2. substrate feeders
3. fluid feeders
4. bulk feeders

Question 17

Do saltwater fishes drink water? Explain their adaptation/s and how they maintain homeostasis.

Answer 17

Not as much as freshwater fishes. (note: osmosis)

Adaptations:
1. Gills: specialized cells actively transport out excess salt into surrounding water
2. Small amount of concentrated urine: allows for conservation of water

Question 18

Do freshwater fishes drink water? Explain their adaptation/s and how they maintain homeostasis.

Answer 18

Yes. They actively drink water because they lose water via osmosis.

Adaptations:
1. Actively absorbing water
2. Excreting excess water: produce large amounts of dilute urine to remove excess water

Question 19

How is the microvilli especially adapted for diffusion?

Answer 19

increases surface area for diffusion; which reduces distance therefore increasing rate of diffusion

Question 20

How are capillaries especially adapted for diffusion?

Answer 20

• thin walled therefore decreases distance for diffusion
• highly permeable
• high density which adds surface area

Question 21

What is an open and closed circulatory system?

Answer 21

Open: directly bathes organs.
- hemolymph = blood + interstitial fluid (doesn’t transport oxygen)

Close: blood are contained in blood vessels
- more efficient

Question 22

What is a single circuit circulatory system?

Answer 22

1 atria, 1 ventricle; both contain deoxygenated blood

Question 23

What is a double circuit circulatory system?

Answer 23

2 atria, 2 ventricle; right contains deoxygenated blood, left contains oxygenated blood

Question 24

What are the basic parts of a mammalian heart?

Answer 24

1. right atrium
2. left atrium
3. right ventricle
4. left ventricle
5. tricuspid valve
6. pulmonary valve
7. bicuspid valve
8. aortic valve
9. superior vena cava
10. inferior vena cava
11. aorta
12. pulmonary trunk
13. pulmonary vein
14. coronary artery

Question 25

Why is the left ventricle thicker than the right?

Answer 25

right: pumps heart to lungs -> needs less pressure
left: pumps heart to body -> needs more pressure

Question 26

A common misconception is that their will be significantly less blood flow to the body if the coronary artery is blocked. Explain why.

Answer 26

Coronary artery: supplies blood to heart
If it is blocked, the heart will be deprived of oxygen and other nutrients which may cause a heart attack.

Question 27

How do camels survive arid conditions in relation to their excretory system?

Answer 27

Adaptations:
1. Dry feces: conserve water
2. Highly concentrated urine: conserve water + reabsorption
3. Long Loops of Henle: enables reabsorption of more water

Further explanation:
Camels can tolerate a high concentration of salt within their blood which help their urinary system retain and reabsorb water.

Question 28

How are some fish able to survive brackish waters?

Answer 28

1. Osmoregulation: they can do this by adjusting the concentration of salt in their tissues and excreting excess salt through specialized cells in their gills and kidneys
2. Behavioral Adaptation: they move between salinity zones depending on what they need
3. Feeding mechanism: can eat via suspension or preying on other smaller organisms

Question 29

Axolotls are known to have external gills and retain their juvenile characteristics. How does this aid their adaptation?

Answer 29

Their Juvenile Characteristic allows for:
1. specialized gills: external gills w/ blood vessels allow direct contact w/ environment + extract oxygen from water
2. aquatic anatomy: streamlined body, long tail, webbed feet
3. regeneration: can regen limbs, heart tissue, etc.

By maintaining their Juvenile characteristics, they can retain their highly beneficial and specialized adaptations until adulthood.