UPMSP Intermediate Agricultural Zoology flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Binomial nomenclature

System of naming species with two Latinized words: genus written with capital initial and species with lowercase; both italicized in print and underlined in handwriting.

Radial symmetry

Body arrangement in which parts are arranged around a central axis, so any plane through the axis divides the animal into similar halves; seen in Cnidaria and adult echinoderms.

Pseudocoelom

Body cavity not lined by mesoderm on both sides; found in nematodes, where the cavity lies between mesoderm and endoderm derivatives.

Notochord

Flexible rod of vacuolated cells along the dorsal side in chordates; in vertebrates it is replaced largely by the vertebral column during development.

Fluid mosaic model

Description of plasma membrane as a phospholipid bilayer with embedded and peripheral proteins able to move laterally, giving fluidity and selective permeability.

Nephron

Functional unit of kidney; consists of renal corpuscle and tubule, where glomerular filtration, selective reabsorption and tubular secretion form urine.

Haemoglobin

Iron-containing respiratory pigment in red blood cells; binds oxygen in lungs and releases it in tissues, also carrying some carbon dioxide.

Hormone

Chemical messenger secreted by endocrine gland into blood, acting on specific target cells with receptors to regulate metabolism, growth, reproduction or homeostasis.

Law of segregation

Mendel's principle that paired alleles separate during gamete formation, so each gamete carries only one allele of a gene pair.

Test cross

Cross of an individual of unknown genotype with a homozygous recessive partner; offspring ratios reveal whether the unknown is homozygous or heterozygous.

Sex-linked inheritance

Transmission of genes located on sex chromosomes; in humans, X-linked recessive traits such as haemophilia affect males more often than females.

Heterosis

Superior performance of hybrid offspring over both parents for traits such as yield, vigour and disease resistance; exploited in crossbreeding and hybrid seed production.

Holometabolous

Metamorphosis with egg, larva, pupa and adult stages; larva differs greatly from adult and pupa is a resting stage, as in butterflies and beetles.

Piercing-sucking mouthparts

Elongated stylets form a beak that pierces plant or animal tissue and sucks sap or blood; found in aphids, bugs and mosquitoes.

Halteres

Pair of small knob-like balancing organs representing reduced hind wings in Diptera; they vibrate during flight and help maintain stability.

Exarate pupa

Pupa in which appendages such as legs, wings and antennae are free and visible, not glued to the body; typical of many beetles and bees.

Economic threshold level

Pest population density at which control action is justified to prevent the pest from reaching the economic injury level and causing unacceptable loss.

Stored-product pest

Organism that infests harvested grains, pulses or processed foods, causing weight loss, contamination and reduced germination; examples include Sitophilus and Tribolium.

Integrated pest management

Combination of monitoring, cultural, mechanical, biological and chemical tactics, using pesticides only when thresholds are crossed, to control pests sustainably.

Apiculture

Management of honeybee colonies in hives for honey, beeswax and pollination services; requires knowledge of bee castes, forage and colony health.

Lac culture

Rearing of the lac insect Kerria lacca on host trees such as ber and palash to produce resinous lac used in polishes and dyes.

Biological control

Use of living natural enemies such as parasitoids, predators and pathogens to suppress pest populations; examples include Trichogramma wasps and Bacillus thuringiensis.

Root-knot nematode

Meloidogyne species that invade roots and induce galls, stunting and yellowing; managed by rotation, resistant varieties and nematicides.

Rodenticide

Chemical used to kill rodents; anticoagulants such as bromadiolone act by preventing blood clotting, while zinc phosphide is an acute poison.

Molluscicide

Pesticide used against snails and slugs; metaldehyde baits are common for controlling apple snails and other molluscan pests of crops.

Emulsifiable concentrate

Liquid formulation containing pesticide, organic solvent and emulsifier; mixed with water it forms an emulsion for spraying, with good leaf coverage but higher phytotoxicity risk.

Pre-harvest interval

Minimum time between the last pesticide application and harvest, set to ensure residues in produce fall below the maximum residue limit.

Atropine

Antidote for organophosphate and carbamate poisoning; blocks muscarinic effects such as salivation, sweating and bradycardia and is given under medical supervision.

Murrah buffalo

Black, high-yielding Indian dairy buffalo breed with curled horns, prominent udder and high fat milk; widely used for crossbreeding and milk production.

Composite fish culture

Pond polyculture of several carp species with different feeding habits, such as catla, rohu and mrigal, to use all niches and increase yield.

Food chain

Linear sequence of organisms through which energy passes from producer to herbivore, carnivore and decomposer; arrows show direction of energy flow.

Biosphere reserve

Protected area with core, buffer and transition zones, conserving biodiversity while allowing research, education and sustainable use by local communities.