Animal Responses

Meet the Standards Living things are classified by shared characteristics. Various body structures and functions change as an organism goes through its life cycle. Patterns of development vary among animals (metamorphosis) An organism’s body plan and environment determine the way that the organism carries out its life processes.

Meet the Standards Survival depends on the ability to sense and respond to the outside environment. The methods of obtaining nutrients vary among organisms. In all environments, organisms with similar needs may compete with one another for resources. The environment may contain dangerous substances that are harmful to an organism.

Meet the Standards Herbivores obtain energy from plants. Carnivores obtain energy from animals. Omnivores … Food webs identify feeding relationships among producers, consumers and decomposers in an ecosystem. Matter is transferred form one organisms to another and between an organism and its environment. ( H 2 O, CO 2, O 2, N 2 ) Animal Systems (organs, tissues) - comparative

Meet the Standards The environment may be altered through the activities of an organism. Some species may replace others over time, resulting in long term gradual changes. Human activities have resulted in major pollution (impact on) of air, water and soil. Pollution has cumulative ecological effects such as acid rain, global warming or ozone depletion.

Meet the Critters Mealworms – Tenebrio molitor Mealworm Kingdom: Animalia are multicellular eukaryotes Phylum: Arthropoda have jointed limbs and exoskeletons Class: Insecta 3 body segments, 3 pair of jointed legs Order: Coleoptera beetles (sheathed wing) Family: Tenebrionidae darkling beetles Genus: Tenebrio means ‘lover of darkness’ Species: molitor means hardly, with difficulty I’m not a worm, I am a larvae (grub).

Meet the Critters Mealworms – Tenebrio molitor

Meet the Critters Brine Shrimp Kingdom: Animalia are multicellular eukaryotes Phylum: Arthropoda have jointed limbs and exoskeleton. subPhylum:Crustacea Class:Branchiopoda have gills on/near their appendages Order: Anostraca are the fairy shrimp Family: Artemiidae Genus: Artemia Species: franciscana We’ve been marketed as “sea monkeys”

Meet the Critters Brine Shrimp I’ve been marketed as “sea monkeys”

Meet the Critters Crayfish I’m the “poor man’s lobster”. Kingdom: Animalia are multicellular eukaryotes Phylum: Arthropoda have jointed limbs and exoskeleton. subPhylum:Crustacea Class:Malacostraca have soft shells Order: Decapoda are “ten footed” Family: Astacoidea live in fresh water and have feather like gills Genus: Astacidae or Cambaridae Species:

Meet the Critters Male crayfish Female crayfish Sexing Crayfish

Meet the Critters Male crayfish – arrow points to gonopod legs used to transfer sperm to female Female crayfish – arrow points to seminal receptacle between legs Sexing Crayfish

Critter Comparison Physiology (body parts) Life Cycle Behavior Food Chains and Webs Impact on surroundings Students should compare the critters on:

Resources View the “Animal Responses: Information, Tips and Hints” document. Read “Crazy About Crayfish” for inquiry science.