Zoo lab post midterm Flashcards
What are some of the functions of integument of vertebrates? (Hint:3)
- Protecting the organism from mechanical/ frictional stress
- Maintaining an osmotic balance between the organism and the environment
- Providing coloration
What is one of the main characteristics of avian integument?
The presence of feathers.
What can we see in the cross-section of avian integument?
- Developing feathers with feather follicles
Feathers, like teeth, are dermally derived. True or False?
False. Feathers and feather follicles are epidermally derived.
What are the basic types of feathers and where are they located?
- Contour feathers (body)
- filoplume
- semiplume
- bristle - Flight feather (wings and tail)
- Downy feathers (under contours)
Avian skin lacks glands except for a uropygial gland at the base of the tail. True or False?
True.
What is the function of a uropygial gland? Where is it found?
The uropygial gland produces oils that are used to waterproof the feathers. It is found at the base of the tail of birds.
What is the function of arrector pili muscles and where are they found?
Arrector pili muscles –> smooth muscles in the dermis which are attached to the base of the feather follicle.
Used for heat, mating, defence. The flexion of muscle is involuntary.
The unlayered dermis of birds lacks melanocytes. How do birds have colour?
Melanin, and other pigments, is injected directly into the developing feather cortex to give the feather colour.
What are the two important parameters of wings which relate to flight? how are they calculated?
- Aspect ratio
Wing length/ wing width - Wing loading
body mass/ total wing area = body mass/ (wing length x wing width x 2)
How is nitrogenous waste excreted in birds?
Uric acid.
What are two special features in the digestive system of birds?
- The crop –> enlarged part of the esophagus used to store food
- The stomach –> consisting of the proventriculus (digestive enzymes mixed with food) and the gizzard (responsible for mechanical digestion of food)
What are the two major components of the integument and where are they derived?
- Epidermis –> derived from the outermost germ layer of the embryo (ectoderm)
- Dermis –> developed from the middle layer (mesoderm)
- dermis contains connective tissue (mostly collagen fibers), nerves, smooth muscle, and blood vessels.
*Note: some vertebrates may have hypodermis beneath dermis (contains lymph or fat)
The ________ layer of the skin is thinner across most of the body, but is thicker in the palm of the hand and the sole of the foot. This is mainly for _______.
The STRATUM CORNEUM layer of the skin is thinner across most of the body, but is thicker in the palm of the hand and the sole of the foot. This is mainly for PROTECTION.
What are the layers of the epidermis, from superficial to deep? Give a description of each.
(Hint: 5)
- Stratum corenum –> for protection
- Stratum lucidum –> a clear area of largely keratinized cells found in thick skin
- Stratum granulosum
- Stratum spinosum –> a tough layer where the cells are linked with intercellular bridges
- Stratum germinativum –> where mitotic cell division takes place
The dermis is composed of loose connective tissue and has finger-like projections called ______ that protrude into overlying epidermis.
The dermis is composed of loose connective tissue and has finger-like projections called DERMAL PAPILLAE that protrude into overlying epidermis.
Similar to feathers, hair follicles are dermally derived. True or False?
False. Both feathers and hair follicles are epidermally derived.
What are the types of glands found in mammalian integument? Give a description of each.
- Sebaceous glands –> appear as large clumps of large, lightly staining cells, each with a distinct nucleus.
- Associated with a hair follicle, and open into the hair follicle.
- Sebaceous secretions condition and waterproof the hair. - Sweat/ Sudoriferous glands –> highly coiled tubular grands
- Apocrine sweat glands –> open into the hair follicles in the groin and armpits (emotional stress, fatty sweat eaten by bacteria)
- Eccrine sweat glands –> open onto the surface of the skin, absent from most mammals or are restricted to the soles of the feet (thermoregulation sweat)
- Ceruminous glands –> modified sweat gland found in integument of outer ear canal of mammals.
- Product of glands is emptied into sebaceous glands and combined secretion = earwax.
Give some examples of modifications of the mammalian integument.
Horns, antlers, pronghorn, whale bristles, hoof.
What is the furcula and where is it located?
Furcula a.k.a wishbone is located in the front of the avian skeleton.
What is the “Keel” and where is it located?
The carinate sternum, a.k.a. the keel, is the breast bone of birds.
The avian Vertebral column is separated into 4 regions. What are they?
- Cervical vertebrae
- Thoracic vertebrae
- Synsacrum
- Caudal vertebrae
Give some functions of the endoskeleton of vertebrates.
- Providing the rigid, hinged body segments across which muscles attach to affect locomotion.
- Protecting the delicate internal structures such as the viscera and the nerve cord.
- Acting as a storage site for minerals which can be mobilized when needed (ex. calcium)
- Aiding the ventilation of the lungs in amniotes.
The vertebral column of mammals can be divided into 5 regions. What are they? How many of each are there?
- Cervical (7)
- Thoracic (13)
- Lumbar (7)
- Sacral (3, fused)
- Caudal (varies)