Animal anatomy

Coelacanths can grow up to 2 m in length. Their bodies are covered in blue scales, which turn brown after death, with a white speckling that is unique to each individual. Their seven fins have fleshy lobes and they move their two paired sets of fins (pectoral and pelvic) in a diagonally synchronous manner like a four-limbed terrestrial animal. Unlike all other vertebrates, coelacanths possess an intracranial joint and an associated basicranial muscle. The purpose of this structure is disputed, with some experts arguing that it assists with suction feeding, while others suggest that it increases bite force. Another dissimilarity is their notochord, which in coelacanths is a hollow tube filled with fluid. Coelacanths have a fatty organ that serves the same purpose as a swim bladder. It was recently discovered that, within this fatty organ, a vestigial lung can be found that is surrounded by small hard plates. It is believed that these plates were involved in lung volume regulation in an ancestral species, but have become rudimentary in extant coelacanths. Females are larger in size, and have higher thickness ratios and metabolic rates than males. Average mass of adult females is 82.1 kg, and average length…

The three-spined stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus) is a species of fish that exhibits a wide range of morphological variation within its subspecies, which typically fit into two categories, anadromous (spawn in freshwater, migrate from saltwater) and freshwater varieties. Saltwater marine varieties of the fish typically have two dorsal spines, along with a pelvic spine. These spines, as studies have shown, act as a defense mechanism against soft-mouthed predators, by increasing the diameter…

What is a narwhal? A narwhale, or Monodon Monoceros, is a pale-colored porpoise mammal that lives in the Arctic ocean. They weight as much as 1.5 tons and are 13 to 20 feet long. Narwhals grow two teeth. In males, the more prominent tooth grows into a spiral tusk. The tusks grow up to 8.8 feet long. This tusk grows through the narwhal’s upper lip. Females can too grow a small tusk, but it doesn’t get nearly as big as the male’s. The purpose of the tusk is unknown, but scientist believe it is…

previous college, I had so many incredible opportunities to learn about the anatomy, physiology, and obscurities of every phylum, through dissections and field work. As my knowledge and respect for wildlife and conservation grew, I was given the opportunity to be the cartographer and artist for the Washtenaw Community College Nature Trail that was put into place this year for education and conservation efforts in the natural habitat for the many species that surrounds the campus. When I…

Thank you for everything you have done for me throughout my high school career. I feel fortunate to have had you for both biology and anatomy. I remember our 4th quarter project freshman and junior year. In biology, I had to research a career that interested me and present it to the class. During this project, I discovered I was interested in becoming a nurse anesthetist. Junior year we had to do a similar project, but take it one step farther and shadow a person in our chosen field. At this…

During the Roman empire, medicine in Rome revolved around Galen, a physician who reconciled the opposing philosophical constructs of Plato (an idealist) and Aristotle (a realist) through dissections and the formation of a systematic description of human anatomy. Although the belief in an irrational nature, a Platonic doctrine which stated that intangible forces outside of the natural world could have an effect on earthly beings had been popular in Greece, Galen and his followers revealed unease…

It takes many years of school and hard work to become a neurosurgeon. Minimum requirements to get a job as a neurosurgeon include four years of undergraduate school, four years of medical school, and three to eight years of internships and residency (okcareerguide). Even after all of the schooling, it is still difficult to become a neurosurgeon. A minimum entry for medical school is three years of college and most people entering already have at least a bachelor’s degree and many have more…

medicine as a career in my life. One unique thing about medical profession is, we can help to ease the person’s physical sufferings and can bring back smile on his/her face, and I feel it is very rewarding for us. Anatomy was my beloved subject in Medical school, and I always excelled in it. I enjoy the relationship of various structures to each other and cross-sectional anatomy. In the Medical school, my continued diligence granted me with distinction and first rank in the University in…

What does the world knows about the medical field? There’s so much to learn and it’s constantly changing. Here going to talk about one section of the medical field: LPN. Which stands for Licensed Practical Nurse. Going to go over how to pay when in college, how to become an LPN, the salary and the outlook, and finally what is done on the job. There are a few different ways to pay for school. The first way one can pay, is using cold hard cash. Cash doesn't have any interest on it and no…

All medical professionals face the same initial challenge―school. While some medical professions require a minimum of a high school degree and a year of training, such as personal care aids, the majority of aspiring medical students must study for at least four years before training. Physicians, such as surgeons and anesthesiologists, must study at a medical school and go through residency, where one practices medicine upon supervision. Likewise, medical professionals must become board certified…