*VOCABULARY*


NAM*AN*IMALS
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All the Words in Uncle Toby's



Adaptation (a-dap-TAY-shun)
A behavior or characteristic (something an animal has or does) that helps the animal survive in its current habitat.

Altruism (AL-true-is-m)
Self sacrifice for the benefit of others.

Anthropoid (AN-thro-poid)
A higher primate; includes monkeys, apes, and humans.

Artificial Selection (ar-ti-FI-shul sel-EK-shun)
The breeding of two animals for the purpose of producing offspring with certain characteristics.

Behavior (bee-HAYV-yer)
All of the acts an animal performs; including finding a habitat, food, avoiding predators, and seeking a mate.

Bilateral Symmetry (bye-LAT-er-ul SIM-met-ree)
When the right and left halves of an animal’s body are mirror images of each other.

Biosphere (BYE-o-sfeer)
The zones of air, land, and water at the surface of the earth occupied by living things.

Carnivore (KAR-ni-vore)
An animal who primarily eats other animals.

Carrying Capacity (KARE-ee-ing ka-PA-sit-ee)
The average number of individuals that the environment can support under certain conditions.

Cell Theory (sell THEE-o-ree)
All living things are composed of cells; cells are only made by other cells. No exception has been found since the theory was proposed.

Colony (KAH-lo-nee)
A group of organisms of the same species living together in close association.

Community (ko-MY-nit-ee)
All of the populations of organisms inhabiting a common environment and interacting with one another.

Competition (kahm-peh-TI-shun)
Interaction between members of one or more populations using the same resource, often in limited supply; involves fighting or other direct interactions.

Crepuscular (kre-PUS-kyu-ler)
Activity at twilight.

Decomposer (dee-kum-POH-zer)
An animal that breaks down dead plants or animals into usable nutrients.

Detritivores (dee-TRY-ti-vorz)
Animals that live on dead and decaying matter such as large scavengers, smaller animals including earthworms and some insects, as well as decomposers.

Ecology (ee-KAH-lo-jee)
The study of the relationships between organisms and their physical environment and the result of those relationships.

Ethology (ee-THAW-low-jee)
The study of patterns in animal behavior, with emphasis on adaptations.

Exoskeleton (EX-o-skel-eh-tun)
The outer supporting covering of the body; common in arthropods.

Frugivorous (FRU-gi-vore-us)
Feeding on fruit.

Granivore (GRAN-I-vore)
An animal that feeds on seeds or grain.

Habitat (HAB-I-tat)
The area in which an animal lives. Every animal needs food, water, and shelter in their habitat.

Herbivore (ER-bi-vore)
An animal who primarily eats plants.

Hibernation (HI-bur-nay-shun)
A varying period of dormancy and inactivity occurring in dry or cold seasons. During hibernation, metabolic processes are greatly slowed and body temperature may drop to just above freezing.

Horns (hornz)
Keratin sheaths that grow over bony cores; found on goats, sheep, and rhinoceros; used for offense, defense, and the attraction of mates.

Hybrid (HI-brid)
Offspring of two different species.

Insectivore (in-SEC-ti-vore)
An animal that feeds on insects.

Keratin (KARE-uh-tin)
Tough, fibrous proteins that form hair (fur), nails (claws), feathers, horns, and hooves.

Niche (nitch)
The way an animal interacts with everything else in its habitat; the animal’s role or job in its habitat.

Omnivore (AHM-ni-vore)
An animal who eats a balance of plants and other animals.

Piscivorous (PIS-ki-vore-us)
Feeding on fish.

Predator (PREH-dah-ter)
An animal that eats another animal.

Prey (pray)
An animal eaten by another animal.

Reciprocal Altruism (re-SIP-row-cul AL-true-is-m)
Doing something for someone else with expectation that the favor will be returned.

Scavenger (SKA-ven-jer)
An animal specially adapted to eat decomposing animals; and animal that seeks a variety of food sources.

Species (SPEE-sheez)
A group of organisms that interbreed within that group and are reproductively isolated from other groups.

Territory (TARE-i-tor-ee)
An area or space occupied and defended by an individual or a group; intruders are attacked; space may be used for breeding, nesting or food gathering.

Zombie Altruism (ZOM-bee AL-true-is-m)
Sacrificing YOU for the benefit of zombies.

Zoology (zoo-AH-low-jee)
The study of animals.

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