Stromatolites, Exoskeletons, and more Flashcards
Stromatolites, Exoskeletons, bias in the fossil record, morphological adaption
true or false
stromatolites are living fossils
true
stromatolites
what are they?
stony (sedimentary) structures built by cyanobacteria
true or false
stromatolites were examples of the 1st living organisms on earth
true
they are similar to precambrian organisms
stromatolites
how did they create oxygen?
the bacteria could breathe
stromatolites
how did they get energy
they used the sun to harness it (energy)
stromatolites
where are they found?
they are very rare…
a few salty bays/lagoons on earth
exoskeletons
name the 3 layers
- endocuticle
- exocuticle
- epicuticle
exoskeletons
what are the endo- and exocuticle made of?
chitin, and sometines calcium carbonate
exoskeleons
what is the epicuticle made of?
epicuticle is most outer layer
a waxy material
exoskeletons
what other materials can they be made from?
silica, bone, and cartilage
exoskeletons
what materials are shells & skeletons of marine animals made of?
aragonite and calcite
mineral forms of calcium carbonate
Morphological adaption:
what is it?
a structural change that gives organism a greater chance of survival in its habitat.
fennec fox lives in desert. structural change - big ears. ears allow it to radiate heat and cool down
bias in fossil record:
preservation bias
not all organisms fossilize well.
jellyfish (soft) r less likely than dinos (hard) to be preserved.
bias in fossil record:
habitat bias
organisms live/don’t live in habitats that favor fossilization
river/delta organisms r more likely to be fossilized than other habitats
bias in fossil record
temporal bias
older fossils r less likely to be found than younger fossils.
older fossils have had more time to be destroyed by geological processes
