Taxonomy: Plant and Animal Structure

Taxonomy: Plant and Animal Structure

Assignment 1

Plants and animals are positioned in taxonomic categorizations depending on similarities and differences of their physical nature. The water lily belongs to the family called Nymphaeaceae. It is worth noting that the majority of the classes of water lilies have circular, waxy-coated and diversely structured leaves. These are found on elongated stalks that enclose numerous gaseous cavities that enable buoyancy in freshwater environments. The stalks come out of solid stems that are found deep within the dense mud. The flowers are usually lone, brazen and scented and are found resting on the water or some height in the air. These flowers are elevated by stretched stalks that are consequently connected to the shoots below ground. Each blossom, usually shaped like a cup, has a twisting pact of its abundant petals. Hollow spaces that are filled with air can be found in the entirety of the leaves of the vegetation in the water and usually give rise to an enclosed environment (Audesirk, Audesirk, & Byers, 2010, p. 141).

Most species of these flowers contain numerous male propagative mechanisms that are called stamens. It is worth noting that a quantity of flowers only open at the beginning or the end of the day in order to draw as many insect pollinators as possible to them. The water lilies eventually bear produce that is similar to nuts in physique. It is observable that such produce will develop while submerged until the decay or explode. In some species, underwater leaves can be found. However all species of lilies are perennial with the exception of the genus Euryale that is perennial and is only found in Asia (Stuessy, 2009, p. 79).

The submerged leaves of the water lily are dissected or divided to serve the adaptation purpose of providing an increased potential for absorption of sunlight and replication. This as well reduces water confrontation and increases viability for the leaves. Heterophylly, which is usually characterized by leaves of unusual forms being shaped according to their location on the plant, is a common phenomenon. As a result, it is hard to provide accurate classification. In addition, the inundated leaves are dissimilar to buoyant or embryonic leaves on the same plant (Audesirk et al., 2010, p. 212).

References

Audesirk, G., Audesirk, T., & Byers, B. (2010). Biology: life on earth with physiology. Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Limited.

Stuessy, T. (2009). Plant taxonomy: the systematic evaluation of comparative data. New York, NY: Columbia University Press.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Assignment 2

Part 1:

Head with tentacles and large eyes present	Class Cephalopoda
Barrel-shaped body, tentacles at one mouth end; adults attached to a substrate	Class Anthozoa
Saucer-shaped, transparent body with tentacles, free floating	Class Scyphozoa
Five arms present, body surface knobby	Class Asteroidea
Many-spined animal, resembles a pincushion	Class Echinoidea
Body is segmented	Phylum Annelida
Body long and tubular	Phylum Nematoda
Free living, aquatic, ribbon-like, smooth	Class Turbellaria
Endoparasites (live inside host); may look segmented;	Class Cestoda
Soft body inside bivalve shell (hinged shell with 2 halves); no head	Class Bivalvia
May or may not have a shell; head with tentacles, small eye or eye spot	Class Gastropoda
Symmetry is irregular (neither bilateral or radial); aquatic; body structure without tissues or organs	Phylum Porifera

 

Part 2:

1.         The porifera

They have a lopsided symmetry. (Stuessy, 2009)

2.         Phylum platyhelminthes, Phylum arthropoda, Phylum mollusca and Phylum vertebrae

3.         No.

The Phylum porifera and cnidarians’ have fewer than three germ strata

4.         Compared to other phylum, Phylum arthropod contains the highest number of species. Species categorized in this group include dragonfly, damselfly, grasshopper, katydid, cricket, mantis and cockroach (Audesirk et al., 2010).

5.         Fish have an idiosyncratic vertebral column, which varies from primordial to multifaceted.

6.         Mammals can be classified according to how their offspring mature. The three groups include monotremes, marsupials and placental mammals.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

References

Audesirk, G., Audesirk, T., & Byers, B. (2010). Biology: life on earth with physiology. Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Limited.

Stuessy, T. (2009). Plant taxonomy: the systematic evaluation of comparative data. New York, NY: Columbia University Press.