1. The Phylum Chordata consists of chordates that are defined by the four fundamental characteristics that they possess such as the pharyngeal gill slits, muscular post-anal tail, dorsal, hollow nerve tube and the notochord (Department of Biology 2008). However, the adult humans lack two of these significant characteristics, which are the post-anal tail and the notochord. Furthermore, humans are classified as chordates due to the similarities within characteristics. For example, humans posses the four hallmark characteristics of chordates yet, only during the rudimentary stage (Reece et al. 2013). As the development of humans continues the notochord is diminished, as it becomes part of the vertebral column while, the post-anal tail curtails …show more content…
The functional importance of organs can be determined by the assumption of organ capacity (Development of Biology 2008). For example, considering the anatomy of a dogfish shark, the liver and gills prove to be the most critical organs as the liver is visibly the largest organ present with its extended growth throughout the abdominal cavity (Department of Biology 2008). Furthermore, the liver is trisected into three lobes: the right, left and the medial lobes. The liver serves to be an essential organ within the dogfish shark anatomy as it allows the shark to store oil, which allows the organism to gain buoyancy due to its heavy frame in comparison to the water (Reece et al. 2008). Moreover, the gills serve to be another significant organ for the shark as they enable oxygen and gas exchange within the natural environment (Reece et al. 2013). However, inaccuracies are present within the assumption that organ capacity dictates the functional importance as the organism’s body plan is a derivation from natural selection which has allowed many animals to persist over the course of evolutionary changes (Reece et al. 2013). In addition, physical laws that drive movement, heat exchange, diffusion, etc. prove to be indispensable for the structural development of organisms (Reece et al. 2013). For example, the heart, which is relatively small in size yet its purpose is highly significant as the heart is the driving force for circulation and the movement of aqueous fluids within an
The Neovison vison dissection lab was intended so students could study the external and internal anatomy and physiology of the Neovison vison. Once the Neovison vison was dissected, students could see the similar and different characteristics of the Neovison vison that are present within the human body. Students were able to identify muscles, bones, organs, tissues, insertion points, and origin points within the body of the animal. Reflection on skeletal and muscular structure was also studied throughout the dissection lab. Although the muscles within the Neovison vison and the skeletal structure of the Neovison vison are highly similar to those in a human body, this dissection lab made it known that there truly are anatomical differences within
Your Inner Fish - Book Report The book “Your Inner Fish” written by Neil Shubin takes us through his search and knowledge of fossils as a paleontologist. The main idea is well, finding your inner fish or in scientific terms tracing back the evolution from fish to land living animals such as mammals. Neil shares his experience looking for important fossils that reveal our evolution into humans.
The liver has a portal vein as well as a hepatic vein. It also has unique exchange blood vessels similar to capillaries, called “sinusoids.” How do these unique structures determine the function of the organ? • The livers main function is to filter and process the blood it receives. The portal vein and hepatic vein then deliver the nutrient rich blood to the capillaries (sinusoids).
Primitive fish, like lampreys and hagfish, have receptors that combine both water genes and air genes. This clearly shows that these primitive fish arose before the smelling genes split into two types. The number of odor genes have increased over time, from relatively few in jawless fish to the enormous number seen in mammals. The extra genes in mammals are all variations of the genes found in jawless fish. Therefore, the large number of odor genes in mammals arose by many rounds of duplication of the small number of genes in primitive organisms.
Sharks rely on their fins to swim and allow water to
It was also determined that prehensile tailed platyrrhines had more pronounced and convex articular surface curvatures. Greater contour curvatures on intervertebral articular surfaces are associated with an increased range of flexibility and mobility of the caudal vertebrae, benefiting prehensile primates that use their tails in a variety of complex movements. Hence, through analyses of the morphology of caudal vertebrae, specifically their articular surface area and curvature, it was concluded prehensile and non-prehensile tails could be distinguished according to these structural features. Both of these characteristics relate to effective use of the tail during locomotion. This article is useful towards my GEM as it describes differences in bone structure of the tails of prehensile and non-prehensile primates, and explains the reasons that certain variations confer advantages to prehensile tail
Biology, the study of life and living organisms, is complex and encompasses a multitude of theories and ideas. In AP Biology, the first unit covered was evolution. Chapters 29, 31, 39, 40, 41, 42, and 43 in the textbook, Campbell’s Biology in Focus, not only discusses the four main ideas of biology: evolution, energy, information, and systems, but it also gives examples of each in order to help guide the reader’s understanding of the concepts. The first big idea of AP Biology is: “the process of evolution drives the diversity and unity of life.” Chapter 39 in the textbook encompasses this main idea through discussing natural selection and genetic diversity.
Their suctions help them survive extreme changes in environment like crashing waves or tidal waves. Their digestive system allows them to eat many different types of prey or smaller animals. The ambulacral grooves help to open shells enabling sea stars to digest
Cervical 42. Back (dorsal) 43. Scapular- Shoulder blade 44. Vertebral- Spine 45. Lumbar- Flank 46.
The Great Hammerhead Shark has many physical attributions that make the species unique to other sharks. Perhaps its most well-known anatomical feature, the flat and t-shaped cephalophoil, aids the Great Hammerhead in catching prey. Ampullae of Lorenzini on the hammer-shaped head sense hidden prey, which especially benefits the hunting of stingrays. The variations within the cephalophoils differentiate hammerheads from each other. In addition, wide-set eyes give The Great Hammerhead shark a greater, more enhanced range of sight.
Through each grade of primate we can gain a better understanding of primate evolution. Changes in body structure are especially significant in primates for purposes of
This morphology produced the bowl shape of the modern human pelvis. In comparison, non-primates have tall iliac blades, flat plates, and are oriented in the coronal plane which divides the body into dorsal and ventral parts. The lower pelvis morphology also changed in humans as compared to non-primates. In apes, the ischium is long whereas the ischium is shortened in humans. When humans walk upright, the body is supported by a single leg so the pelvis has a tendency to tip towards the unsupported side.
Vertebrates are known to be animals with backbones. Tooth reduction is one of the major evolutionary trends that developed among major vertebrate groups that allowed for the transition from aquatic to terrestrial life. Evolution of limbs and being able to breath air are other evolutionary trends that took placeThese trends include improved respiration and protective and insulating body coverings. More over the transition from water to land also included changing to more efficient reproductive methods like having a placenta for some animals or egg layers for other animals. Lastly, the morphology of organisms evolved such that for land they would have paired, muscular appendages used for crawling and
This led to the development of realistic quantitative models for the structural and functional design of organisms based on underlying universal principles. This work, begun at the Institute, has received much attention in both the scientific and popular press, and provides a framework for quantitative understanding of problems ranging from fundamental issues in biology (such as cell size, growth, metabolic
Introduction: Due to moving the arctic snow fox to the tropical rainforest, the snow fox will experience tremendous amount of evolutionary impact. So due to speciation, the formation of a new species due to evolution, it will be called a Forest Fox. The Arctic Snow Foxes environment is very frigid. They feed on the weakest of animals, and even feed of of the leftovers of other animals like polar bears. One of its predators is a polar bear, but because of its white fur, it is very hard to spot.