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38 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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Avian taxonomy
Kingdom: Phylum: Class: |
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata Class: Aves |
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What is the order of taxonomic classification?
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Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, Species
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What are the smallest and largest birds alive today?
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Bee hummingbird and Ostrich
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When considering living species, what one feature is unique only to birds?
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feathers
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Birds evolved from ....
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reptiles
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Archaeopteryx means....
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ancient wing
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when and where was the first fossil of Archaeopteryx found?
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In 1860 in limestone deposits in Germany
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What feature suggests that Archaeopteryx's power of flight was weak?
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An unkeeled sternum
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What feature suggests that Archaeopteryx possessed powered flight?
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asymmetrical primary feathers
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The hind toe is called the....
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hallux
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fused collarbones are called....
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furcula
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The thecodont hypothisis proposes that....
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all modern reptiles (except turtles) descended from diapsid reptiles.
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What are the two major evolutionary lineages of the diapsids?
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snakes and lizards (Lepidosauromorpha)
and archosaurs (Archosauromotpha) known as the thecodonts. |
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Why are archosaurs known as thecodonts?
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Because their teeth are set in sockets.
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What lineage grave rise to crocodiles, pterosaurs and dinosaurs?
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The thecodonts
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The Theropod hypothesis or Dinosaur Hypothesis proposes that....
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birds evolved from a more derived group of Theropod dinosaurs, specifically Dromaeosaurs "raptors"
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What features of Confuciusornis (125 mys) make it a descendant of a diapsid archosaur?
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temporal openings in the skull
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In what time period did fossil birds begin to be common?
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Cretaceous (130-65 mya)
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What are the two main benefits of flight?
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for food and to escape predators
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What are the two theories of flight?
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Arboreal Model and Cursorial Model
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The Arboreal Model of flight believes that flight evolved from:
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tree dwelling species that started out as gliders.
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The Cursorial Model of flight believes that flight evolved from?
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ground dwelling species as a mechanism for capturing food.
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What new theory is best at describing how birds evolved the morphology that could lead to a wing stroke capable of powered flight?
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Wing Assisted Inclined Running
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The feather and color pattern of birds is called
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plumage
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Mammal fur and color patterns are called
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Pellage
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What two factors cause a variation in feather numbers?
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body size and latitude (colder weather birds have more feathers)
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Do birds have sweat glands?
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no
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What is the only skin gland in birds called?
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Uropygial (preening) gland
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Where is the preening gland located?
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on the rump
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What is the purpose of the preening gland?
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to maintain feathers, bill and scales by secreting fluids containing waxes, fatty acids and fats.
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Shaft
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the tubular structure that runs the length of the feather and gives it support.
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Calamus
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the section of the shaft that inserts into the body and lacks any feathering
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Rachis
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the section of the vain that has all the feathering attached to it.
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Why is the insertion point of the shaft hollow?
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to allow blood to flow into the feather while it is growing. Blood stops flowing after the feather is fully grown.
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What part of the feather helps birds regulate body temperature and fly?
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the Vanes
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Each vane is composed of parallel rows of structures known as:
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barbs
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To stay in contact with each other, barbs have lateral extensions called
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barbules
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Each barbule has rows of ____that grab onto the ___of the neighboring barbule.
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hooklets
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