54 results found

Search Results for: island

Vestigial

Vestigial (organ) is a degenerate organ or structure or physical attribute that has little to no function in the species but... Read More

Takahē (Porphyrio hochstetteri)

By: Maria Victoria Gonzaga Previously, we've seen the different animals endemic to New Zealand. Due to the... Read More

New Zealand’s Unique Geographical History

Written by: Maria Victoria Gonzaga Peer-reviewed by: Cathy Buntting, Ph.D. and Andrea Soanes New Zealand is... Read More

New Zealand’s Unique Fauna

By: Maria Victoria Gonzaga In the previous lesson, we learned about the high biodiversity of New Zealand and how... Read More

Endemic

Global biodiversity is under threat and the rate at which species are getting endangered and extinct is alarming. If you... Read More

New Zealand’s Biodiversity

Written by: Maria Victoria Gonzaga Peer-reviewed by: Cathy Buntting, Ph.D. and Andrea Soanes Why is New... Read More

Natural selection

Natural Selection Definition What is natural selection in biology? Natural selection is defined as a process in nature... Read More

Diversification

An organism in the mainland experiences two competitions namely inter and intraspecific. Hence due to the pressure on the... Read More

Involuntary muscle

A muscle act typically either under the control of the will or without conscious control. Muscles that can be controlled at... Read More

Sphenodon guntheri

Definition The tuatara species of the genus Sphenodon that inhabits one small island of New Zealand, i.e. Brothers... Read More

Afferent Nerve

Afferent Nerve Definition The word ‘aferent’ means "steering or conducting something towards a destination". The... Read More

SENI Biometric Analysis on the extinct Scincidae species: Macroscincus coctei (underlined)

Brian L. Schnirel Leeway Corucia Research Center (LCRC) Courtesy: Polyphemos (2004)   Introduction: It has been... Read More

Monotreme

Definition noun (zoology) Any of the egg-laying mammals belonging to the taxonomic group, Monotremata Supplement The class... Read More

Polypeptide

Polypeptide Definition Biology What are polypeptides? A polypeptide is defined as a polymer of amino acids joined together... Read More

Antecubital fossa

Antecubital Fossa Definition The antecubital fossa or the cubital fossa is the triangular-shaped hollow depression between... Read More

Allopatric speciation

We can define speciation as a process by which the novel genetically independent group of organisms are formed through the... Read More

Disruptive Selection

An evolutionary process known as disruptive selection (or disruptive natural selection) causes a population to become... Read More

Thalassophobia

Among many psychological and psychiatric disorders, one is the fear of the ocean and the fear of deep water, which in... Read More

Bile

Have you ever wondered how the fats from butter, cheesy burgers, and pizzas get digested in your body? Or have you heard of... Read More

Aves

Aves Definition What are birds classified as? Birds constitute the class Aves of the kingdom Animalia. How to define Aves?... Read More

Adaptive Radiation

Reviewed by: Mary Anne Clark, Ph.D. When Charles Darwin was in the Galapagos Islands, one of the first things he... Read More

Tobacco

tobacco 1. (Science: botany) An American plant (Nicotiana Tabacum) of the nightshade family, much used for smoking and... Read More

Dense regular connective tissue

The dense connective tissue is a type of connective tissue proper that consists predominantly of fibers, especially type I... Read More

Demographic transition

The demographic transition model is a theoretical framework that explains the historical shift in population dynamics as a... Read More

Community (biology)

Community, in biology, refers to the assemblage of interacting organisms (either of the same or different species)... Read More

Darwin and Natural Selection

Reviewed by: Mary Anne Clark, Ph.D. In the 19th century, a man called Charles Darwin, a biologist from England,... Read More

Vestibule

Languages are intriguing subjects that you can spend your entire life with but never get enough of… As we begin the... Read More

Alimentary canal

Definition of Alimentary canal What is the alimentary canal? The alimentary canal is a muscular hollow continuous tubular... Read More

Antarctic realm

Definition noun A biogeographic realm that covers the Antarctica Supplement Biogeographic realms are large spatial regions... Read More

Ahool

The ahool is a flying cryptid, supposedly a giant bat, or by other accounts, a living pterosaur or flying primate. Such a... Read More

New Zealand’s Unique Flora

By: Maria Victoria Gonzaga In the previous lesson, we've come to know some of the most fascinating endemic... Read More

Biosecurity and Biocontrol

By: Maria Victoria Gonzaga In the previous lesson, we learned about the importance of modern science... Read More

Population Growth and Survivorship

By: Maria Victoria Gonzaga Previously, we learned about biodiversity and endemism. Now, let's look at the... Read More

Community Patterns

By: Maria Victoria Gonzaga In the previous lesson, we learned what a population is, its attributes, and processes... Read More

Tuatara

Definition noun, plural: tuatara or tuataras A nocturnal lizard-like reptile of the genus Sphenodon that is native to New... Read More

Theophrastus

Theophrastus (Science: person) theophrastus was born in Lesbos (island of lesbians) and is often called the father of... Read More

Integumentary system

Integumentary System Definition The integumentary system is the outermost layer of the body. The animal body, in... Read More

Mutagen

Mutagen Definition What is a mutagen? A mutagen is a substance or agent that causes DNA impairment that results in the... Read More

Catabolism

Catabolism Definition Catabolism is the branch of the metabolic process that breaks down complex, big molecules into... Read More

Angiosperm

Angiosperms Definition What is an angiosperm? An angiosperm is a plant that produces flowers. The angiosperms, also... Read More