BIOL 031 Lecture Notes - Lecture 14: Opisthokont, Animal, Synapomorphy
25 Mar 2019
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Animals - monophyletic group recognized by three traits: they are multicellular, they are heterotrophs they ingest their food, they move under their own power at some point in their life cycle (requires neurons & muscle) Key things to remember in animal classification & evolution: signal of evolutionary history is often expressed early in developmental stages (e. g. larval or embryonic stages) Important synapomorphies (shared, derived characteristics) are often not visible (e. g. metabolic pathways, biomolecules: adult body plans are often the result of convergent evolution. Sensory mechanisms - in addition to touch and balance, other major developments include: Magnetism sensing earth"s magnetic field to determine location on the globe. Electric fields sensing electrical signals given of by objects including other organisms. Barometric pressure sensing changes in air pressure (altitude and weather systems) Other factors that influence diversity: as some species were killed or die out, others take their place, ecological niches create opportunities for specialization and diversification.
