Animals (Zoology) - Middle School

Study these zoology terms and learn all about the world's fauna. Review taxonomy and anatomy, and test your knowledge of primates, arthropods, marsupials, and more. This list is just beastly!
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. abdomen
    the region of the body between the thorax and the pelvis
  2. air sac
    a tiny sac for holding air in the lungs
  3. allopatric
    occurring in areas isolated geographically from one another
  4. amphibia
    the class of vertebrates that live on land but breed in water; frogs; toads; newts; salamanders; caecilians
  5. amphibian
    cold-blooded vertebrate living on land but breeding in water
  6. Animalia
    taxonomic kingdom comprising all living or extinct animals
  7. annelid
    worms with cylindrical bodies segmented both internally and externally
  8. antenna
    one of a pair of mobile appendages on the head of insects
  9. anterior
    of or near the head end or toward the front plane of a body
  10. antler
    deciduous horn of a member of the deer family
  11. arachnid
    arthropods with simple eyes and four pairs of legs
  12. arthropod
    invertebrate having jointed limbs and a segmented body
  13. autonomic nervous system
    the part of the nervous system of vertebrates that controls involuntary actions of the smooth muscles and heart and glands
  14. Aves
    (ornithology) the class of birds
  15. bilateral symmetry
    the property of being symmetrical about a vertical plane
  16. bill
    the projecting mouth of a bird
  17. biodiversity
    the variety of plant and animal life in a habitat
  18. biped
    an animal that walks on two legs
  19. bird
    warm-blooded egg-laying vertebrate with feathers and wings
  20. bony fish
    any fish of the class Osteichthyes
  21. camouflage
    exploit the natural surroundings to disguise something
  22. canine tooth
    one of the four pointed conical teeth (two in each jaw) located between the incisors and the premolars
  23. carapace
    hard outer covering or case of certain organisms
  24. cardiovascular system
    the organs and tissues involved in circulating blood and lymph through the body
  25. carnivore
    a terrestrial or aquatic flesh-eating mammal
  26. cartilage
    tough elastic tissue, mostly converted to bone in adults
  27. cartilaginous fish
    fishes in which the skeleton may be calcified but not ossified
  28. cell
    the basic structural and functional unit of all organisms
  29. central nervous system
    the portion of the vertebrate nervous system consisting of the brain and spinal cord
  30. cetacean
    large aquatic carnivorous mammal with fin-like forelimbs
  31. Chordata
    comprises true vertebrates and animals having a notochord
  32. circulation
    the movement of blood through the heart and blood vessels
  33. circulatory system
    the organs and tissues involved in circulating blood and lymph through the body
  34. class
    a taxonomic group containing one or more orders
  35. cnidarian
    radially symmetrical animals having saclike bodies with only one opening and tentacles with stinging structures; they occur in polyp and medusa forms
  36. coelenterate
    radially symmetrical animals having saclike bodies with only one opening and tentacles with stinging structures; they occur in polyp and medusa forms
  37. cold-blooded
    having a body temperature that is not internally regulated
  38. contour feather
    feathers covering the body of an adult bird and determining its shape
  39. crop
    a pouch in a bird's gullet where food is stored
  40. development
    a process in which something passes to a different stage
  41. digestion
    the process by which the body breaks down food
  42. diversity
    noticeable variety
  43. dorsal
    on or near the back of an animal or organ
  44. echinoderm
    marine invertebrates with tube feet and five-part radially symmetrical bodies
  45. echolocation
    determination of the position of objects by reflected sound
  46. ectotherm
    an animal whose body temperature varies with the temperature of its surroundings; any animal except birds and mammals
  47. embryo
    an animal organism in the early stages of growth
  48. endocrine system
    the system of glands that produce endocrine secretions that help to control bodily metabolic activity
  49. endoskeleton
    the internal skeleton; bony and cartilaginous structure
  50. entomology
    the branch of zoology that studies insects
  51. estivation
    cessation or slowing of activity during the summer
  52. eukaryote
    an organism of one or more cells with membrane-bound nuclei
  53. exoskeleton
    the exterior protective or supporting structure or shell of many animals (especially invertebrates) including bony or horny parts such as nails or scales or hoofs
  54. external respiration
    the bodily process of inhalation and exhalation
  55. family
    a taxonomic group above genus
  56. fang
    canine tooth of a carnivorous animal
  57. fauna
    all the animal life in a particular region or period
  58. feather
    a light growth that makes up the covering of a bird's body
  59. fish
    any of various mostly cold-blooded aquatic vertebrates
  60. fledgling
    young bird that has just become capable of flying
  61. food chain
    community of organisms where each member is eaten by another
  62. food web
    community of organisms with several interrelated food chains
  63. genus
    taxonomic group containing one or more species
  64. gill
    organ allowing aquatic animals to obtain oxygen from water
  65. gill slit
    one of a series of slit openings in the pharynxes of fishes and aquatic amphibians through which water passes
  66. gizzard
    thick-walled muscular pouch below the crop in many birds and reptiles for grinding food
  67. herbivore
    any animal that feeds chiefly on grass and other plants
  68. herpetology
    the branch of zoology concerned with reptiles and amphibians
  69. heterotroph
    an organism that feeds on complex organic substances
  70. hibernation
    the resting state in which some animals pass the winter
  71. homologous
    similar in position, structure, function, or characteristics
  72. immune system
    the cells in the body that work together to fight disease
  73. incisor
    a tooth for cutting or gnawing
  74. invertebrate
    any animal lacking a backbone or notochord
  75. keratin
    a fibrous protein found in nails, hair, feathers, and hooves
  76. kingdom
    the taxonomic group above phylum and below domain
  77. larva
    immature form of an animal between the egg and adult stages
  78. larynx
    the structure containing the vocal cords
  79. lateral line
    sense organs of fish and amphibians
  80. life cycle
    a series of stages through which an organism passes
  81. lung
    either of two saclike respiratory organs in the chest of vertebrates; serves to remove carbon dioxide and provide oxygen to the blood
  82. mammal
    a warm-blooded vertebrate having the skin covered with hair
  83. Mammalia
    warm-blooded vertebrates characterized by mammary glands in the female
  84. mandible
    the jaw in vertebrates that is hinged to open the mouth
  85. marsupial
    a mammal the female of which has a pouch carrying the young
  86. maxilla
    the jaw in vertebrates that is fused to the cranium
  87. metabolism
    the organic processes that are necessary for life
  88. metamorphosis
    the marked and rapid transformation of a larva into an adult
  89. migration
    the periodic passage of groups of animals
  90. mimicry
    the resemblance of an animal species to another species
  91. molar
    grinding tooth with a broad crown
  92. mollusk
    aquatic invertebrate, often with a shell
  93. molt
    cast off hair, skin, horn, or feathers
  94. monotreme
    the most primitive mammals comprising the only extant members of the subclass Prototheria
  95. motile
    capable of movement
  96. multicellular
    consisting of many basic structural and functional units
  97. muscle
    animal tissue consisting predominantly of contractile cells
  98. musculoskeletal
    relating to muscles and skeleton
  99. nervous system
    the sensory and control apparatus consisting of a network of nerve cells
  100. niche
    status or place of an organism within its environment
  101. notochord
    a flexible rodlike structure that forms the supporting axis of the body in the lowest chordates and lowest vertebrates and in embryos of higher vertebrates
  102. omnivore
    an animal that feeds on both animal and vegetable substances
  103. order
    a taxonomic group containing one or more families
  104. organ
    a structure in an animal specialized for some function
  105. ornithology
    the branch of zoology that studies birds
  106. oviparous
    egg-laying
  107. parasite
    an animal or plant that lives in or on a host
  108. phylum
    the major taxonomic group of animals and plants
  109. pineal eye
    a sensory structure capable of light reception located on the dorsal side of the diencephalon in various reptiles
  110. placenta
    the vascular structure in the uterus of most mammals providing oxygen and nutrients for and transferring wastes from the developing fetus
  111. plankton
    aggregate of small organisms that float or drift in water
  112. Platyhelminthes
    flatworms
  113. Porifera
    coextensive with the subkingdom Parazoa: sponges
  114. posterior
    located at or near the end of a structure
  115. predator
    any animal that lives by preying on other animals
  116. prey
    animal hunted or caught for food
  117. primate
    any mammal of the group including monkeys, apes, and humans
  118. primatology
    study of the order of mammals that includes monkeys and apes
  119. proboscis
    a long flexible snout as of an elephant
  120. quadruped
    an animal especially a mammal having four limbs
  121. radial symmetry
    the property of symmetry about an axis
  122. reptile
    a cold-blooded vertebrate including snakes and lizards
  123. Reptilia
    class of cold-blooded air-breathing vertebrates with completely ossified skeleton and a body usually covered with scales or horny plates; once the dominant land animals
  124. respiration
    the bodily process of inhalation and exhalation
  125. respiratory system
    the system for taking in oxygen and giving off carbon dioxide; in terrestrial animals this is accomplished by breathing
  126. rodent
    relatively small placental mammals
  127. rostrum
    beaklike projection of the head of certain insects
  128. rumen
    the first compartment of the stomach of a ruminant
  129. scale
    a rigid plate forming part of the body covering of animals
  130. scavenger
    any animal that feeds on refuse and other decaying matter
  131. scute
    large bony or horny plate as on an armadillo or turtle or the underside of a snake
  132. shaft
    the main section of a long bone
  133. skeletal system
    the hard structure (bones and cartilages) that provides a frame for the body of an animal
  134. skeleton
    the structure providing a frame for the body of an animal
  135. speciation
    the evolution of a biological species
  136. species
    taxonomic group whose members can interbreed
  137. swim bladder
    an air-filled sac near the spinal column in many fishes that helps maintain buoyancy
  138. symbiosis
    the relation between two interdependent species of organisms
  139. symmetry
    balance among the parts of something
  140. sympatric
    occurring in the same or overlapping geographical areas
  141. tadpole
    a larval frog or toad
  142. taxonomy
    a classification of organisms based on similarities
  143. tentacle
    a flexible appendage adapted for grasping or feeling
  144. thorax
    the body of an arthropod between the head and the abdomen
  145. tissue
    part of an organism consisting of an aggregate of cells
  146. trachea
    a tube that conveys inhaled air from the larynx to the lungs
  147. tympanic membrane
    the membrane in the ear that vibrates to sound
  148. ventral
    toward or on or near the belly
  149. vertebrate
    animals having a bony or cartilaginous skeleton
  150. vestigial
    not fully developed in mature animals
  151. viviparous
    producing living young and not eggs
  152. warm-blooded
    of animals able to regulate body temperature internally
  153. wattle
    a fleshy wrinkled and often brightly colored fold of skin hanging from the neck or throat of certain birds (chickens and turkeys) or lizards
  154. zoology
    the branch of biology that studies animals
  155. zooplankton
    animal constituent of plankton
Created on February 4, 2017 (updated March 31, 2017)

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