342 Animal Biology 

 QUESTIONS AND TOPICS 



1. Define the following terms: species, genus, class, and phylum. 



2. Give all the reasons you can why a classification of animals must necessarily 

 be a scientific one. Why can we not depend on the use of common names for 

 particular animals in a classification? Why are Greek and Latin used in com- 

 posing scientific names and classification? 



3. Give the distinguishing characteristics of each phylum into which the animal 

 kingdom is divided. Which phyla seem more closely related than others? 

 What suggestions can you offer for this? 



4. How many species of animals are there in each phylum? How many species 

 are there in the animal kingdom? Tell how this number may vary. 



5. Tell how the representatives of the various phyla increase in complexity as 

 we observe them from the lower to the higher and complex phyla. What 

 conclusions do you draw from this phenomenon? 



6. Define the following types of symmetry: (1) asymmetry, (2) radial sym- 

 metry, and (3) bilateral symmetry. List the phyla and give the type or types 

 of symmetry found in each. What conclusions can be drawn from these data? 



7. What effect does attachment (nonlocomotion) of an animal have on (1) its 

 general development, (2) its method of reproduction, (3) the dispersal of 

 its offspring, and (4) the securing of food and elimination of wastes? 



8. List the advantages and disadvantages of having the offspring dispersed in 

 many directions from their place of birth. 



9. What is meant by alternation of generations (metagenesis) ? List all the ad- 

 vantages and disadvantages of metagenesis. 



10. Which phylum do you think contains the most important animals? Why do 

 you choose as you do? What makes an animal important? 



11. Upon what does the economic importance of a particular animal depend? 



12. In which phyla do we find a true body cavity (coelom) ? Discuss the advan- 

 tages and disadvantages of such a structure. 



13. In which phyla do we find metamerism (segmentation) ? What are the ad- 

 vantages and disadvantages of such construction? 



14. Define (1) chordate, (2) invertebrate, and (3) vertebrate. Do all the ani- 

 mals in the phylum to which man belongs closely resemble man? Why do 

 we place man, whales, bats, horses, cats, and monkeys in the class mammalia? 

 Must all animals be absolutely alike in all respects to be classified together? 



SELECTED REFERENCES 



Alexander: Birds of the Ocean, G. P. Putnam's Sons. 



Anthony: Animals of America ("Mammals of America"), Doubleday, Doran & 



Co., Inc. 

 Anthony: North American Mammals, G. P. Putnam's Sons. 

 Barbour: Reptiles and Amphibians, Houghton Mifflin Co. 

 Borrodaile and Potts: The Invertebrata, The Macmillan Co. 

 Breder: Marine Fishes of the Atlantic Coast, G. P. Putnam's Sons, 

 Brown: Selected Invertebrate Types, John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 

 Buchsbaum: Animals Without Backbones, University of Chicago Press. 

 Bullough: Practical Invertebrate Anatomy, The Macmillan Co. 

 Caiman: Classification of Animals, John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 



