Symmetry, Form and Life Style

The following questions will help you to review the material from the lecture as well as the text. 

1. Briefly review your knowledge of animal biodiversity (lecture 1). How many species of animals have been described? Which are the predominating taxa of animals? What percentage of known animals are different beetle species?
2. Motility is one of the key features of animals. Support and/or criticize the following statement: "all animal species are motile".
3. Define radial symmetry. Give examples of animals with radial symmetry.
4. What is the difference between the oral and the aboral side of an animal? On what kinds of animals are these terms used?
5. Define bilateral symmetry. Give examples of animals with bilateral symmetry.
6. Explain the following terms: dorsal/ventral, anterior/posterior, proximal/distal as well as the use of transversal/frontal and sagittal planes in an organism.
7. Why is it often said that there is a connection between the appearance of bilateral symmetry and the evolution of motility as well as the nervous system (cephalization) in animals?
8. Can there be any connection between bilateral symmetry and the evolution of the enormous biodiversity of animals on the planet? Explain.
9. Discuss the role of the digestive tube and the body wall as main features of most animals.
10. What is a coelom? What are the possible functions of a coelom?
11. What is metamerism? What is the importance of metamerism in animal evolution?
12. The size and shape of animals vary enormously. Briefly discuss the relationship between surface and volume and its implication on the evolution of structures in animals.
13. Are smaller animal species primitive? Explain.
14. Colonial organization in animal species has often led to morphological polymorphism. Explain.
15. Briefly discuss the different forms of symbiotic organizations in animals.
16. What kind of connections exist between the shape/size/adaptations of animals and the environments in which they are found? Use the marine, the fresh water and the land (terrestrial) environments as examples.
17. Why do you think that the animal kingdom has been so successful in terms of increasing its biodiversity over evolutionary time?
18. What are the major animal phyla that we are going to study this semester?

• Gould: "Wonderful Life - The Burgess Shale and the Nature of History" - Gould explores early animal evolution. A very interesting and thought provoking book.

Page created by: Peter Svensson Updated: October 2015