Our Aquarium & Zoo scavenger hunt findings
Our Bio 1122 class adventured out into groups to find different organisms that have different and/or similar features and adaptations throughout
our local aquarium and zoo. We are studying the Kingdom Animalia and the different animal Phyla. Below you can browse through our gallery and obtain a deeper knowledge of special features some common animals you may know of have.
DOMAIN: Eukarya
KINGDOM: Animals
PHYLUM: Porifera, Cnidaria, Molluscs, Annelida, Arthropods, Echinodermata, Chordates
our local aquarium and zoo. We are studying the Kingdom Animalia and the different animal Phyla. Below you can browse through our gallery and obtain a deeper knowledge of special features some common animals you may know of have.
DOMAIN: Eukarya
KINGDOM: Animals
PHYLUM: Porifera, Cnidaria, Molluscs, Annelida, Arthropods, Echinodermata, Chordates
Air breathing skin
This tree frog is an example of an animal that breathes through it's skin. We did not get to see a real life frog but we did get this namless picture of one in the touch pool area. It is a fact that all frogs breathe through their skin. They fall under the phylum Chordates.
Hollow (Honey Comb) Bones, Air Sacs, Bilateral Symmetry, Gizzard.
This Blue and Yellow Scarlet Macaw, along with all other birds, has hollow bones which resemble a honey comb. They also have gizzards, an air sac, and display bilateral symmertry. Birds have Gizzards because they do not have teeth. It is a part of theìr digestive system and is used to grind up food. The purpose of the air sac is to improve the airflow and oxygen uptake. Any animal that has a head (cephalization) has bilateral symmetry, meaning that their bodies can be split evenly down the middle. They fall under the phylum Chordates.
Cont,
The Bermuda Long Tail is special because it is found only in Bermuda. It displays all the same features as the Macaw.
Operculums & Dueterostome Development
The Four-eye Butterfly fish and Hogfish both have Operculums and go through Dueterostome Development. Operculums are protective bony flaps that cover and protect the gills. Dueterostome development is when an anus is developed from the blastopore. They fall under the phylum Chordates.
Nematocyst
This Jellyfish and other Jellyfish such as Portuguese Man of War contain stinging tentacles or cells. Nematocyst are found in the Cnidocyte which is an organelle of the jellyfish. They fall under the phylum Cnidaria.
Budding, Sessile, Filter feeder, Gastrovascular cavity, Nematocyst, Polyp
The Sea Anemone (top left), Red Fire Coral (top right), Small Bush Coral (bottom left), Bath Sponge (bottom middle) and sea fingers (Bottom Right) are all sessile (none moving), and Filter feeding organisms (relying on current to bring them food). They also reproduce by budding. Budding is when sex gamets are released into the ocean and land on a surface, produce clones of the parent, and new colonies. They also have a Gastrovascular cavity, meaning they have one whole for eating and pooping. The sea Anemone is a polyp. You can think of it as a stationary Jellyfish. They have the same stinging cells called Nematocyst like Jellyfish. All these organisms fall under the phylum Porifera except for the Sea Anemone which is in the phylum cnidarian.
Triptoblastics organisms, Mantle, Torsion,
The Milk Conch (top left), The Bermuda Girdled Snail (top right, lower brown snail), European Garden snail (top right, white colored snail) and the Rosey Wolf Snail (top right, top snail) are some examples of Triptoblastic organisms which have a Mantle and Torsion. They are triploblastic organisms because they have three germ tissue layers. These layers are called Endoderm, Mesoderm, and Ectoderm. The Mantle is one of three parts of a mollusk. It is a fold of tissue that drapes over the molluscs visceral mass and may secrete a shell. Torsion is a developmental process found in snails. The snail rotates the visceral mass 180 degrees and positions the anus and mantle above the head. They fall under the phylum Molluscs.
Molting
This Red Land Crab (top) sheds the chitin exoskeleton so that it can grow, a process known as molting. It then produces another exoskeleton. It falls under the phylum Arthropods.
Radial symmetry, Tubed Feet,
The Sea Cushion and Star Brittle Starfish both have Radial symmetry and tubed feet. Radial symmetry is when an organism can be split evenly through the central axis and look exactly the same (like a mirror image of itself). There is no right or left side. They also have Tubed feet which are extensions of their water vascular system. Starfish fall under the phylum Echinodermata.
Complete metamorphosis and Segmented Body
The Giant Gray Sphinx Moth's young does not resemble it's adult form and therefore goes through complete metamorphosis. They also have segmented bodies which means that you can clearly see the sections of their bodies. They fall under the phylum Anthropods.