General Information

I. Basics A.Zoology is the study of the entire animal kingdom (zo- {New Latin} = animal; -ology = study of, knowledge) B. Zoology is a subset of biology C. One of the broadest fields in all of science 20,000 known species of bony fishes 300,000 known species of beetles

II. The Commonality of Living Things A. All are composed of cells (animals are multicellular, heterotrophic organisms) 1. Cell Theory is a basic tenet of biology. The cell theory states that: a) all living things are composed of cells b) the cell is the fundamental unit of life c) all cells in our modern atmosphere and conditions must come from pre-existing cells (“omni cellula a cellula” ….Virchow)

B. Genetic Unity 1. All organisms contain heredity information in the same molecule, a nucleic acid called DNA 2. The DNA of living organisms is remarkably similar. The more closely related two organisms are to each other, the more similar is their DNA 3. The DNA is not only the reason of the genetic continuity of organisms, but it is also the source of genetic and physical diversity through the process of mutation

C. Organisms share a common genetic history – it is termed the evolution of the species 1. Evolution is the unifying theory of biology 2. Evidences for evolution: a) diversity of living and extinct species (currently it is estimated that there is anywhere between 4 to 30 million different species existing today; millions of other species have gone extinct since life began) b) Fossil record…study of paleontology c) Comparative embryology (“ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny”) – the embryonic development of an organism mirrors somewhat its evolutionary history d) Study of DNA and its relatedness between species

D. Organisms share same environmental pressures 1. Organisms must adapt to existing surrounding conditions or face extinction 2. Ecological problems a) Pollution of air and water sources b) Human overpopulation c) Loss of habitat d) Global warming issues from human activities e) Over fishing and over hunting f) Use of non-renewable fuels (oil, coal, petroleum) g) Decline of rainforests

III. Components of Zoology A. Specialties or sub-disciplines 1. Study of fish – ichthyology 2. Study of birds – ornithology 3. Study of insects – entomology 4. Study of reptiles and amphibians – herpetology 5. Study of mammals – mammalogy 6. Study of mollusks – malacology 7. Study of spiders – arachnology 8. Study of one-celled animals –protozoology 9. Study of parasites – parasitology

B. Classification scheme 1. Domain, Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus (Genera plural), species 2. Binomial nomenclature – two name system given to all organisms : Genus species

Terms to Know Symmetry Planes through which a body can be cut and have mirror images. –Asymmetry No Symmetry –Radial Multiple Planes –Bilateral 1 plane

Terms to Know Dorsal -Back Ventral -Belly Anterior -Head Posterior -Anus Proximal –Closer to midline Distal –Further from midline Transverse –Cross section Segment –Unit of the body that is repeated Hydrostatic skeleton –fluid filled structure that resists compression and allows flexing Coelom –fulid filled cavity within a body of an organism