Cofrin Center for Biodiversity

Definitions

Blastula: A hollow fluid filled ball of cells that forms during early development as the fertilized egg divides.
Microfossil: Fossil remnant of a microscopic organism or microscopic part of a larger organism such as pollen from a flowering plant or small teeth from a fish. Microfossils of bacteria provide evidence of the earliest life on earth.

Tetrapod: The name literally means "four feet". All tetrapods are vertebrate animals with 4 paired limbs with digits (fingers or toes) instead of fins. This is the largest group of vertebrates and includes about 3000 species of amphibians and approximately 18100 species of amniotes (mammals, reptiles, and birds).

Zooplankton: Tiny, floating aquatic animals that form an important part of food chains in freshwater and ocean ecosystems. Zooplankton typically eat phytoplankton, floating aquatic plants. Examples of zooplankton include rotifers, water "fleas" (Daphnia), copepods, and euphausids or krill.

Biodiversity Topics: Introduction . Plants . Animals . Mammals . Birds . Reptiles & Amphibians . Arthropods . Spiders . Insects