558 GLOSSARY 



action pattern. The structural and functional relationships in an organism which 



determine the character of its behavior. 

 ad- (ftd). L.; to, toward. 

 adaptation (M Sp ta' shun). The fitness of an organism for a certain environment; 



the process of adjustment involved; or a characteristic which so adjusts an 



animal. 

 adductor (a duk' ter). A muscle acting so as to draw a part toward a median line, 

 adipose (M' Ip os). Pertaining to fat. 

 adjustor neuron. A neuron in a nerve center by which an impulse is passed from the 



receptor neuron to the effector cell in a reflex act. 

 adolescence (ad 5 \6s' 6ns). The period of life between childhood and maturity. 

 adrenal (ad re' nal). A ductless gland near the kidney; in man, often called supra- 

 renal; the hormone produced is adrenalin (ad r6n' a lln). 

 aerl (a' er I). L.; air. aero (a' er 6). G.; air. 

 afferent (af er 6nt). Incoming, toward a center. 

 ala (a' la). L. ; a wing. 

 albinism (al' bi niz'm). Lack of pigment when normally it is present; in higher 



vertebrates shows itself in the lack of color in skin, hair or feathers, and iris, 

 alimentary (al I men' ta rl). Pertaining to food. 

 allantois (a Ian' to is). An embryonic membrane in land vertebrates, primarily for 



respiration; adj., allantoic (a Ian to' ik). 

 allelomorph (a le' 16 morf). One of a pair of corresponding genes in homologous 



chromosomes, when the characters are different. 

 allergy (al' er ji). In a broad sense, a modification of the reaction of the body to a 



substance after having been once subjected to the action of that substance, 



including both immunity and anaphylaxis; in a narrow sense, natural acute 



sensitiveness to a substance which does not act like a poison by causing the 



development of an antitoxin. 

 alternation of generations. Metagenesis. 

 altricial (al trish' al). Pertaining to birds hatched in a naked, blind, and weak 



condition, 

 alveolar (al ve' 6 lar). Pertaining to an alveolus, which is a small cavity, or pit. 

 ambergris (am' ber gres). A substance produced in the stomach of a sperm whale 



and used in the manufacture of perfumes. 

 ambulacral (am bu la' kral). Pertaining to the tube feet of an echinoderm. 

 ameboid (a me' boid). Like an ameba; putting out pseudopodia. 

 amitosis (am 1 to' sis). Direct nuclear division, neither spindle nor asters being 



formed. 

 amnion (am' nl 6n). An embryonic Tnembrane in land vertebrates serving for the 



protection of the embryo; adj., amniotic (am nl of ik). 

 amphi- (am' fl). G.; on both sides, of both kinds. 



amphiaster (am' fl as ter). The mitotic figure at its fullest development. 

 amphibious (am fib' I us). Capable of living both in water and outside it. 

 amphimixis (am fl mik' sis). The union of a sperm cell and an egg cell, 

 ampulla (am piil' a). A flasklike dilatation. 

 amylopsin (am I I6p' sin). An enzyme produced by the pancreas, which changes 



starches to sugars. 

 ana- (an' a). G.; up, back, or again. 

 anabolism (an ab' ollz'm). The building-up steps in metabolism, from ingestion to 



assimilation, inclusive. 

 analogy (a nal' 6 ji). Resemblance involving function but not structural plan, 

 anaphase (an' afaz). The phase in mitosis during which the chromosomes migrate 



from the equator of the spindle to the poles. 



