amphibians: A group of animals that includes frogs, salamanders and caecilians. Amphibians have backbones and can breathe through their skin. Unlike reptiles, birds and mammals, unborn or unhatched amphibians do not develop in a special protective sac called an amniotic sac.
anatomy: (adj. anatomical) The study of the organs and tissues of animals. Or the characterization of the body or parts of the body on the basis of structure and tissues. Scientists who work in this field are known as anatomists.
biologist: A scientist involved in the study of living things.
caecilian: A type of amphibian that has no legs. Caecilians have ring-shaped folds of skin called annuli, small eyes covered by skin and sometimes bone, and a pair of tentacles. Most of them live underground in the soil, but some spend their entire lives in water.
evolution: (v. to evolve; adj. evolutionary) A process by which species undergo changes over time, usually through genetic variation and natural selection. These changes usually result in a new type of organism better suited for its environment than the earlier type. The newer type is not necessarily more “advanced,” just better adapted to the particular conditions in which it developed. Or the term can refer to changes that occur as some natural progression within the non-living world (such as computer chips evolving to smaller devices which operate at an ever faster speed).
evolutionary biologist: Someone who studies the adaptive processes that have led to the diversity of life on Earth. These scientists can study many different subjects, including the microbiology and genetics of living organisms, how species change to adapt, and the fossil record (to assess how various ancient species are related to each other and to modern-day relatives).
fat: A natural oily or greasy substance occurring in plants and in animal bodies, especially when deposited as a layer under the skin or around certain organs. Fat’s primary role is as an energy reserve. Fat also is a vital nutrient, though it can be harmful if consumed in excessive amounts.
gland: A cell, a group of cells or an organ that produces and discharges a substance (or “secretion”) for use elsewhere in the body or in a body cavity, or for elimination from the body.
hatchling: A young animal that recently emerged from its egg.
herpetologist: A scientist who works on the biology of reptiles and amphibians.
lactation: (v. lactate) A release of milk by female mammals after giving birth. This high-protein, fatty fluid gives their young the nutrients needed to fuel their postnatal growth.
litter: (in zoology) A group of young animals born at the same time to the same mother.
mammal: A warm-blooded animal distinguished by the possession of hair or fur, the secretion of milk by females for feeding their young, and (typically) the bearing of live young.
mass: A number that shows how much an object resists speeding up and slowing down — basically a measure of how much matter that object is made from.
ovary: (in animals) A female reproductive organ that produces eggs and that secretes some of the hormones needed to regulate the development of secondary sex-related traits (such as breast development in human females). Most female mammals have a pair of ovaries.
oviduct: A tube found in female animals. The female’s eggs pass through the tube or stay in the tube and develop into young animals.
rainforest: Dense forest rich in biodiversity found in tropical areas with consistent heavy rainfall.
sibling: One of multiple offspring that share the same parents.
species: A group of similar organisms capable of producing offspring that can survive and reproduce.
system: A network of parts that together work to achieve some function. For instance, the blood, vessels and heart are primary components of the human body’s circulatory system. Similarly, trains, platforms, tracks, roadway signals and overpasses are among the potential components of a nation’s railway system. System can even be applied to the processes or ideas that are part of some method or ordered set of procedures for getting a task done.
vent: (n.) An opening through which gases or liquids can escape.
womb: Another name for the uterus, the organ in mammals in which a fetus grows and matures in preparation for birth.