Results for “vertebrate”

pectoral girdle

Bony or cartilaginous structure supporting the forelimbs or anterior fins in vertebrates.

Used in 26 profiles

pectoral-fin

Anterior, paired fin attached to the pectoral girdle of fishes, usually just behind the opercle and corresponding to the forelimbs of higher vertebrates. Assists in controlling direction of movement and swimming speed. Frequently abbreviated to 'P' or 'P1' in scientific papers.

Used in 508 profiles

pelvic fin

Either of the pair of fins, also known as pelvic fins, attached to the pelvic girdle in fishes that help control the direction of movement. Correspond to the hind legs in higher vertebrates and vary in position depending on taxon. Sometimes absent entirely.

Used in 431 profiles

placoid scale

Tooth-shaped scale-type found in certain fishes, e.g., sharks, rays. Structurally homologous with vertebrate teeth.

skeleton

In vertebrates, the internal structure composed of bone and/or cartilage that supports the soft tissues and protects the internal organs.

Used in 15 profiles

skin

In vertebrates, the thin, membranous layer of external tissue forming the protective covering of the body.

Used in 399 profiles

species

Taxonomic rank into which a genus is divided, but otherwise difficult to delineate precisely with a single definition satisfying all eventualities still lacking to date. There exist a number of concepts of which the most popular in vertebrate taxonomy include the biological species concept and phylogenetic species concept.

Used in 1,790 profiles

spine

See fin spine; also a hard, pointed, protective outgrowth or process elsewhere on the body, e.g., a preopercular spine; the spinal column of a vertebrate.

Used in 414 profiles

standard length

Measurement taken from the tip of the snout to the midlateral, posterior edge of the hypural plate or posterior edge of the last vertebra, thus excluding the caudal fin. May also exclude the length of the lower jaw should it project beyond the snout. It is the standard scientific measurement used for most fish species because the caudal fin easily becomes damaged in preserved specimens. Abbreviated to SL.

Used in 48 profiles

ventral-fin

Either of the pair of fins, also known as pelvic fins, attached to the pelvic girdle in fishes that help control the direction of movement. Correspond to the hind legs in higher vertebrates and vary in position depending on taxon. Sometimes absent entirely.

Used in 74 profiles

villus

In biology, a minute, hairlike process present on certain membranes, such as the mucous membrane in the small intestine of many vertebrates. Typically has a sensory or absorptive function.

vomer

Thin, anterior, flattened bone dividing the nostrils in most vertebrates. Sometimes bears teeth.

Used in 4 profiles

Weberian apparatus

Anatomical structure connecting the swim bladder to the inner ear found in members of the fish superorder Ostariophysi. Conveys sound and changes in pressure, and comprises four or five modified vertebrae.

Used in 5 profiles

Weberian ossicle

Any of the modified vertebrae comprising the Weberian apparatus in Ostariophysian fishes, individually named the claustrum, scaphium, intercalarium and tripus.

acclimation

Adaptation to a new climate or environment. Used in reference to the process of slowly introducing an animal to a new environment, e.g., when adding new fish or invertebrates to an aquarium. Same meaning as acclimatisation.

Used in 35 profiles

annelid

Member of the phylum Annelida which comprises a large group of segmented, usually elongate, worm-like invertebrates. Contains both earthworms and leeches among others.

Used in 1 profile

egg

Object laid by a female bird, reptile, fish, or invertebrate, normally roun or oval-shaped and containing a developing embryo surrounded by nutrient material and a protective case or shell; a female gamete; an ovum.

Used in 1,063 profiles

Hydra

Genus of freshwater cnidarian existing only in sessile, solitary polyp form attached to the substrate at one end and with a mouth surrounded by up to 12 tentacles at the other. Members are predatory, feeding mostly on small invertebrates, and regarded as pests in aquaria due to their appearance as whitish spots on submerged surfaces and tendency to prey on fish fry.

Used in 1 profile

mollusc

Any member of the invertebrate phylum Mollusca.

Used in 27 profiles

Mollusca

Large, highly diverse invertebrate phylum. Members are difficult to define but generally possess a soft, unsegmented body, and often a shell or shell-like structure secreted by a mantle. Includes all bivalves, cephalopods, and gastropods.