Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy. > Intro > Flashcards

Intro Flashcards

1
Q

What is Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy?

A

The study of vertebrates from an anatomical, Morphological, and evolutionary POV.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

What is Morphology?

A

The study of the structure of organisms and their interactions between each other.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

The study of how an organism grows- Usually related to an evolutionary aspect.

A

Ontogeny.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

“Old-Saying” meaning you can observe evolution by investigating the developmental change and phases and organism goes through.

A

“Ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny”
Not a 100% true statement but very helpful to investigating phylogeny.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

Theory describing evolutionary relationships between organisms.
“The Study of evolutionary relationships.”

A

Phylogeny.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

The Mammoth and elephant are two different species that are expected to have come from a common ancestor, what is this an example of?

A

Divergent evolution.
Diverged from a common ancestor.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

Koalas and humans both have unique fingerprints. We do not share a common ancestor, what is this an example of?

A

Convergent evolution.
Similar traits without shared ancestry.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

7 Taxonomic ranks from most broad to specific

A

-Domain
-Kingdom
-Phylum
-Class
-Family
-Genus
-Species.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

What are the four/ five characteristics of chordates?
What does this mean?

A

-Notochard.
-Dorsal Hollow Nerve Cord.
-Endostyle.
-Post anal tail.
-Pharyngeal slits.
All Chordates will posses these traits at some point within their life/ development even if not all at the same time.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

What are the two closest relative phylums to chordates?

A

-Echinoderms
-Hemichordates

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

Two defining characteristics of echinoderms?

A

-5 sided radial symmetry
-Water vascular system.
(Use seawater instead of blood in a hydraulics fashion.)
EX: Sea stars and sea urchins.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

4 characteristics of Hemichordata:

A

-Stomochord (like a rudimentary notochord.)
-“worm-like” body
-Dorsal nerve cord (sometimes hollow)
-Epidermal nervous system
EX: Acorn worms.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

What are the 3 subphyla of chordata?

A
  • Urochordata
  • Cephalochordata
  • Vertebrata
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

Marine invertebrate chordates that do not retain all chordate traits at once and generally only keep the pharyngeal slits and endostyle?

A

Urochordata
EX: Tunicates or sea squirts.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

Marine invertebrate chordates that have all 5 chordate traits throughout their life and are commonly used in diagrams because of this?

A

Cephalochordata
EX: Lancelets/ Amphioxus.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

What is the notochord?

A

A rod like structure made of a “cartilage-like” substance “rudimentary backbone”

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

What is the endostyle?

A

Ciliated Organ in invertebrate chordates that assists in filter feeding by secreting mucoid proteins.
This corresponds to the thyroid in most vertebrates.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

Function of pharyngeal slits?

A

Respiration, & filter feeding- mostly in tunicates.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

What is the first skeletal structure to develop within chordate embryo?
What is it’s placement?

A

Notochord: Dorsal to digestive tube and ventral to nerve cord. This will induce how the nerve cord forms.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

What two classes of animals in chordata completely lose the notochord into adulthood?

A

Reptiles and birds.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

What happens to the notochord in development of mammals?

A

It regress almost completely and expands as part of the center of intervertebral discs; The nucleus pulposus.
Sclerotome cells differentiated from somites lead to this regression and form the centrum of vertebrae.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

What is the nucleus pulposus?

A

Gelatin middle layer of vertebral discs and what remains of the notochord.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

What is the Annulis fibrosis?

A

The outer layer of vertebral discs made of fibrocartilage.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

Strong, tough, and inflexible cartilage made of thick collagen fibers.

A

Fibrocartilage.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
Q

Are chordates the only phylum to possess a nerve chord?

A

No, however only chordata has a dorsal hollow nerve chord, while other nerve chords are likely to be ventral, such as arthropods and annelids.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
26
Q

The disc between the amniotic and yolk sac that will become the fetus within the amniotic sac.
What are it’s layers?

A

The Trilaminar disc. It’s layers are the ectoderm, mesoderm & endoderm. These three layers define a triploblastic organism.

27
Q

What is the process of neurulation?

A

This is one of the earliest steps in nervous system development where the cells in the dorsal neuroectoderm above the notochord go through rapid mitosis and form a concave neural groove that eventually closes up into the neural tube.

28
Q

Name this Process

Shown in Transverse plane!

A

Neurulation W/ Neural groove.

29
Q

What is something the occurs at the same time as neurulation which leads to the ball of cells looking like a fetus within the amniotic sac?

A

Embryonic folding

Saggital Vs. Transverse planes.

30
Q

What is the Pre-structure before the neural tube?

A

Neural groove.

31
Q

Which organisms neurulate differently and what is different?

A

Agnathans & Neopterygians.
They will form a neural keel instead that will then form the Neurocoel and detach from the dorsal ectoderm creating the hollow dorsal nerve.

Agnatha is broad “Class”. Neopterygii is a large “Order”.

32
Q

What is the neural keel?

A

The wedge shaped structure made from ectodermal cells that will differentiate into the hollow nerve cord. A different neurulation process used by Agnathans & Neopterygians.

33
Q

What is this process?

A

Neurulation W/ Keel.

34
Q

What is unique to vertebrata?

A

They will always have a distinguishable head, trunk, and Tail.

35
Q

What are vertebrate tetrapods, what is something they possess?

A

An organism with four feet/ limbs.
They will a possess a neck.

36
Q

Developmental processes resulting in formation of the head?

A

Cranialization or cephalization.

37
Q

What are jawed vertebrates called?

A

Gnathostomata.

38
Q

What will the head contain in vertebrates (4)?

A

The brain, specialized organs, +/- jaws (Gnathostomata.), +/- gills.

39
Q

What are agnathans and why are they in vertebrata?

A

Jawless fish. They still have a well defined head have sort of rudimentary vertebrae made of cartilige, or could be able to form vertebrae.
They are known to be the earliest vertebrates.

40
Q

What is the central region of the body called?

A

The trunk.

41
Q

What is the coelom?
What is made from?
What surrounds the coelom?

A

A structure (usually embryonic) that is a fluid filled cavity that will go on to house visceral organs.
The coelom is formed by the mesoderm and surrounded by the body wall (vertebra, ribs, and somatic muscles.)

42
Q

What is something terrestrial vertebrates started to possess in early evolution?

A

Neck.

43
Q

What are the two groups of symmetry in animals, which is specific to vertebrates?

A

Radial and bilateral.
Bilateral in vertebrates.

44
Q

Which Body Plane?

A

Transverse

Separates Cranial and Caudal parts.

45
Q

Which Body Plane?

A

Dorsal plane
or, Frontal Plane
& Coronal plane in humans.

Separates ventral and dorsal regions, posterior and anterior in humans.

46
Q

Which Body Plane?

A

Mid Saggital.

47
Q

Which Body Plane?

A

Para Sagittal.

48
Q

What vertbrate feature is caudal to the trunk?

A

The post anal tail.

The tail is posterior to the anus.

49
Q

What is metamerism? Name an example:

A

A serial repetition of structures along the long axis of the body, more prevalent during development. EX: Ribs.

50
Q

Neopterygians?

A

Part of Actinoperygii (Ray Finned Fish).
Divided into Teleostei & Holostei.

51
Q

What are the two divisions within Agnatha?

A
  • Myxini (Hagfish.)
  • Cephalospidiformes (Lampreys.)
52
Q

What are the 6 divisions of Gnathostomata?

A

“Jawed Vertebrates”
1. Chondrichthyes.
2. Osteichthyes.
3. Amphiba.
4. Reptilla.
5. Aves.
6. Mammals (Most Modern.)

53
Q

What are Chondrichthyes?

A

Cartilaginous Fish.
* Mostly Hyaline, Jaws mineralizaed.
* Placoid Scales.
Divided into Elasmobranchii & Holocephali.

54
Q

What are Elasmobranchii?

A

Sharks, Rays & Skates.
* 5-7 Visible Gill Slits/ No operculum.
* Upper Jawnot fused to cranium.
Part of Chondrichthyes.
Divided into Selachimorpha & Batoidea.

Elasmobranch= “Naked Gill”

55
Q

What are Selachimorpha?

A

“True Sharks”
* Fusiform Body.
* Heterocercal Tail- upper lobe is larger.
* Fins are triangular or sickle sharped.
Part of Elasmobranchii.
Divided into Carcharhiniformes, Lamniformes, Heterodontiformes, Orectolobiformes, Pristiophoriformes, Squaliformes, & Hexanchiformes.

Fusiform: Tapered at both ends “Torpedo”
Herocercal: Assymetrical

56
Q

Lamniphormes?

A

Part of Selachimorpha.
Mackerel Sharks: Fast Swimming Powerful Sharks.
* Conical Snout.
* Streamlined slender body.
* Pelagic Feeding behavior.
* Large & Sharp Serrated Teeth.
* Long Gill Slits.
EX: Great White, Mako, Thresher & Basking sharks (Only Filter Feeder).

57
Q

Carcharhiniformes?

A

Part of Selachimorpha.
Ground Sharks.
* Broader head than other sharks.
* Broader body.
* Usually 2 evident dorsal fins.
* Caudal Pelvic Fins.
* Benthic Feeding behaviors.
EX: Bull, Blacktip, Sandbar, Hammerheads, & Catsharks.

58
Q

Heterodontiformes?

A

Part of Selachimorpha.
Bullhead sharks.
* Wide flat head.
* Short blunt snout.
* Short Stocky Bodies.
* Two Spiny Dorsal Fins.
* Benthic Feeders & Bottom Behavior.
* Mostly Oviparous.
EX: Horn and banded bullhead Sharks.

59
Q

Orectolobiformes?

A

Part of Selachimorpha.
Carpet Sharks.
* Elongated Flattened Bodies.
* Slow moving Bottom Dweller/ Ambush Predator.
* Ventral Mouth & grasping teeth, not cutting.
* Barbels.
* Mostly Viviparous.
EX: Wobblegong & Nurse Sharks.

60
Q

Pristiophoriformes?

A

Part of Selachimorpha.
Saw Sharks.
* “Saw-like” Snout.
* Long slender bodies, long tail.
* Many have barbels.
* Oviviparous.
EX: Saw Sharks.

61
Q

Squaliformes.

A

Part of Selachimorpha.
Dog Fish Sharks.
* Deep Water Adapted.
* Small-Medium slender body.
* Spiny Dorsal Fins.
* Lack Anal Fin.
* Mostly Oviviparous.
EX: Dog Fish Gulper, Greenland, & Sleeper Sharks.

62
Q

Hexanchiformes?

A

Part of Selachimorpha.
Cow Sharks.
* 6-7 Gill slits, Basal Feature, (Sharks Usually have 5)
* Robust cylindrical body.
* Long upper tail lobe (Heterocercal).
* Ventral Mouth.
* Oviviparous.
EX: Bluntnose 6 Gill & Sharpnose 7 Gill Sharks.

63
Q
A

Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy. (3 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2025 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions