Chapter 2 - The Variety Of Living Organisms Flashcards
What is meant by vertebrates?
They have a vertebral column or backbone
The 6 major groups of organisms are?
Plants, Animals, fungi, protoctists, bacteria, and viruses
A mushroom has many fine thread like filaments called?
Hyphae
What is saprotrophic nutrition?
When an organism feeds on dead material and digestion takes place outside of the organism.
Why are protoctists referred to as the “dustbin kingdom”
Because they are a mixed group of organisms that don’t fit into the plants, animals or fungi
What is meant by Protozoa?
Protoctists that look like animal cells such as Ameoba, which lives in pond water
What are the three basic shapes of bacteria?
Spheres, rods and spirals
List the major difference between a bacterial cell and the more complex cells of animals and plants
The bacterium has no nucleus, it’s DNA is in a single chromosome, loose in the cytoplasm
What are plasmids?
These are small circular rings of DNA, carrying some of the bacterium’s genes
What are pathogens?
Organisms that cause disease
What are viruses?
Parasites that can only reproduce inside living cells
Describe the structure of a typical virus
A virus particle is very simple, it has no nucleus or cytoplasm and is composed of a core of genetic material surrounded by a protein coat. The genetic material can be either DNA or a similar chemical called RNA.
