Page 72 - Mammal (DK Eyewitness)

Glossary

AMNIOTIC MEMBRANE A thin membrane FETUS An unborn mammal in the later
that surrounds a developing embryo inside its stages of development
mother’s uterus, or womb
FOOD CHAIN A food pathway that links
ARTIODACTYL A hoofed mammal that has different species in a community, passing
an even number of toes on each foot, usually down energy and nutrients from one
two, but sometimes four. Deer, camels, and organism to another. Each species is usually
sheep all fall into this group. involved in several different food chains. The
amount of energy passed on decreases at
BALEEN PLATES The fringed plates that each stage.
hang from the roof of the mouth of the largest
types of whale. Baleen plates filter small FOSSIL The remains or traces of a living
animals from sea water for food. thing preserved in rock
CAMOUFLAGE The means by which an GENE The basic unit of heredity. Genes are
animal escapes the notice of predators, usually passed from parents to offspring and
because it blends in with its surroundings determine each living thing’s characteristics.
Most genes are made of DNA.
CARNIVORE An animal that eats meat The giant panda is an endangered species
GESTATION The period of time that a baby
CARTILAGE A gristly substance in the body DIGESTION The breakdown of food into spends growing in its mother’s womb before
of animals. In some animals it forms the whole nutrients, tiny parts small enough to be it is born
skeleton. In others it forms the coverings of absorbed into the body. In most animals,
the bones in a joint, and the framework of digestion takes place in a tube that runs A white
parts such as the ears. through the body. rhinoceros has a
gestation period
CELL A microscopic unit that is the DIGITIGRADE An animal which of 16 months.
building block of most living things walks only on its toes and not
the flat surface of its foot
CHORDATE The main group of vertebrates
(animals with a backbone) DNA This is the abbreviation for
deoxyribonucleic acid, the chemical
CLASSIFICATION A way of grouping living that carries all the information needed
things to show how they are related to build a living thing and keep it alive.
DNA is passed from one generation to the
CLOVEN Hooves divided into two parts in next when living things reproduce.
certain mammals, such as pigs and deer
ECHOLOCATION A way of sensing objects
COLONY A number of related living things by using high-pitched sounds. Bats, dolphins,
that live closely together and some whales use echolocation to “see” in
the dark or in water.
DETRIVORE An animal that eats the
remains of dead animals, plants, and ECOLOGY The study of the relationship
other living things between living
things and their GRAMINIVORE An animal that eats mainly
environment grains, seeds, nuts, and similar tough plant
materials and fibers
EMBRYO The
early stage of GRAZE To eat vegetation, usually grass or
development of an other low-lying plants
animal or plant
GUARD HAIR The outside layer of a
ENDANGERED mammal’s fur that protects the inner fur and
A species whose the skin from wet weather conditions
numbers have
decreased so much HABITAT The environment needed by a
Skeleton of an that they are at risk particular species for survival
Asian elephant, of extinction
a digitigrade HERBIVORE An animal that eats mainly
animal EVOLUTION A very slow process of plant material, especially leaves, buds, shoots,
change that affects all living things. It can fruits and stems, and flowers
gradually alter the characteristics of a living
species and produce new species from HIBERNATION A sleep-like state
existing ones. experienced during winter by many small
animals. During hibernation, the animal’s body
EXTINCTION When a species dies out enters a state of torpor, which means that its
completely and permanently. Sometimes body temperature drops and its metabolism
this happens as a natural result of evolution, slows down.
but increasingly in the modern world it
Walks on happens because of pollution or hunting INSECTIVORE An animal that eats
its toes by humans. mainly insects