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Glossary
The
following glossary provides brief definitions of terms that may be used
in this site. Please consult other sources for more comprehensive
discussion of the terms. Internal links are provided in the alphabetic
table on the left as a convenience to users.
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abapical--located
at the opposite end of a shell from the apex.
accretion platform--a
sandstone bench formed at about sea level by chemical and microbial
action (= solution bench)
acteonoidean--a
member of the order acteonoidea
aeolid--a member of
the suborder aeolidacea, nudibranchs having cerata containing branches
of the digestive gland
aeolidiform--resembling
an aeolid in body plan.
aglajid--a member
of the family aglajidae.
albumen gland--a
gland in the reproductive system of mollusks that produces yolk for
eggs.
allopatric species--species
that do not have overlapping ranges
anal papilla--an elevated structure surrounding the anus
anal siphon--the
excurrent tube derived from the mantle that carries wastes away from the
animal
anaspidean--a
member of the order anaspidea
anus--the opening
of the intestine
annulate rhinophores--rhinophores
with well defined circular ridges or collars
anterior--toward
the front of the animal
antifeedant--a
substance that functions as a deterrent to predators
antitropical--species
found outside the topics but both north and south of the equator
aperture--the
opening or mouth of a shell
apex--the tip of a
shell or other structure
apical--toward the
tip of a shell or other structure
aplysiid--a member
of the family aplysiidae
aplysiomorph--resembling
an aplysiid in body form
aposematic coloration--coloration that has evolved as a signal to potential predators that an animal is toxic/distasteful/venomous
arborescent--tree-like
in form
arminid--a member
of the suborder arminacea
ascloglossan--a
member of the order ascoglossa (= sacoglossan)
apical orifice--an
opening at the apex of a structure
aposematic--coloration
that stands out in contrast to its background, presumably acts as a
warning to predators
arcuate--arc-like
in shape
auriculate--ear-like
in form
autotomize--to drop
body parts when disturbed, presumably as a distraction to
predators
azooxanthellate--lacking
the symbiotic algae, zooxanthellae
batesian
mimicry--when a palatable species closely resembles an
unpalatable species
benthic--living on
the bottom or floor of the ocean
bifid rhinophores--rhinophores
that divide into two branches
bifurcate--splitting
into two branches
bilabiate--having
two lips or edges
bipinnate--having
two series of branches
branchia--gills
branchial--having
to do with the gills
branchial plume--one
gill
branchial sheath--the
collar or cup into which the branchia withdraw in dorids
bubble shell--one
of many cephalaspideans with thin, inflated shells
buccal mass--the
muscular portion of the digestive system between the oral tube and the
esophagus
bullomorph--resembling
the genus Bulla in body form,
resembling a bubble
bulloid--having an
inflated shell similar to the genus Bulla
bursa--a pouch or
sack
cardiac
sack--the sack-like structure that serves as a heart in
opisthobranchs
caruncle--the
elevated crest between the rhinophores in some arminids
caryophyllidia--tubercles
surrounded by spicules that are found on the dorsal surfaces of some
dorids
cephalaspidean--a
member of the order cephalaspidea
cephalic--pertaining
to the head
cephalic hood--an expanded region at the front of the head, particularly in gymnodorids
cephalic shield--the
flattened, fleshy plate covering the head region in
cephalaspideans
cephalic tentacles--the
most anterior tentacles projecting from the head
ceras
(plural: cerata)--an
elongate projection from the dorsal surfaces of aeolids, dendronotids,
arminaceans and sacoglossans, sometimes applied only to those of
aeolids
ceratal group--a
cluster of cerata
ceratal insertion--the
point at which cerata attach to the animal
chitin--a hard
protein that forms the jaws, radular teeth and other structures in
opisthobranchs
chloroplasts--photosynthetic
organelles in the cells of alga and other plants that contain the
pigment chlorophyll
chromodorid--a
member of the family chromodorididae
circumtropical--having
a global distribution in tropical waters
clavus--the
club-shaped tip of a rhinophore
cnidosac--a sack in
the tip of a ceras that contains nematocysts extracted by aeolids
from their food
columella--the
inner margin of the aperture in a gastropod shell
columellar--relating
to the columella
commensal--an animal that lives in close association with another species without harming its host
cosmopolitan--having
a global distribution in tropical and temperate waters
cryptic--a species
that is difficult to see against it's usual background
cryptobranch--dorids
that can fully withdraw their gills (or that have evolved from such
species)
cusp--a lump or
projection on the surface of a tooth
cyanobacteria--photosynthetic
bacteria, also known as blue-green algae
dendrodorid--a
member of the family denrodorididae
dendronotid--a
member of the suborder dendronotacea
denticle--a
tooth-like bump or projection
denticulate--having
denticles
dioecious--having male and female organs in separate individuals
digestive gland--the
primary organ responsible for digestion in opisthobranchs, often highly
elaborate
digitiform--resembling
fingers
direct development--lacking
a larval stage
distal--the portion
of a structure furthest from the body
diverticulum--a
blind pouch or sack, usually part of the digestive gland
dorid--a member of
the suborder doridacea
doridiform--resembling
a dorid in body plan
dorsal--referring
to the upper surface of an animal
dorsal slit--the
opening between the parapodia in anaspideans
dorsum--the upper
surface of an animal
elysiid--a
member of the family elysiidae
endemic--a species
found only in the region under discussion
epibiont--an organism that lives on the surface of another organism
epiphyte--a plant that lives on the surface of another plant
extra-branchial appendage--a
projection from the body located near the branchia in some dorids
extra-capsular yolk--yolk
deposited outside the egg capsule
extra-rhinophoral appendage--a
projection from the body located near the rhinophores in some dorids
eye spots--the
simple eyes found in opisthobranchs
facultative--a trait or posture that is displayed only under some circumstances
foot--the
organ used by mollusks for crawling
foot corners--the
anterior corners of the foot
frontal veil--the
expanded anterior portion of the head in many dendronotids
genital
aperture--the reproductive opening in the body wall
genital pore--the
reproductive opening in the body wall
gill--a structure
used for respiration
gizzard plate--a
crushing plate in the oral cavity of cephalaspideans
head shield--the
flattened, fleshy plate covering the head region in
cephalaspideans
head shield slug--a
member of the order cephalaspidea
hermaphrodite--being
both male and female
holoplanktonic--organisms
that spend there entire life cycle in the plankton
Indo-Pacific--a
faunal province encompassing the tropical waters of the Indian and
Pacific oceans but not the west coast of the Americas.
inflated--swollen
or expanded
in situ--in its original place or location
intergrades--intermediate
forms between two morphologies
interspecific variation--variation
between species
intraspecific variation--variation
between members of the same species
involute--rolled
inward
jaw--a
chitinous structure used to hold prey
juliid--a member of
the family juliidae
kleptoplastids--the
functional chloroplasts that Sacoglossans retain from their algal food
labial--pertaining
to the mouth or lips
labial tentacles--projections
originating near the mouth
lamella (plural: lamellae)--a leaf-like
fold
lamellate rhinophores--rhinophores
having leaf-like folds
lecithotrophic--larvae
that spend only a short time in the plankton before settling and do not
feed while planktonic
maculations--spots
or blotches
mantle--the portion
of the integument of mollusks that secretes the shell
mantle cavity--a
chamber housing the gills in prosobranchs and some opisthobranchs
mantle gland--glands
in anaspideans that produce a purple or milky fluid, presumably
defensive
median--pertaining
to the center
mimicry--when one
species resembles another, presumably gaining some selective advantage
monoecious--having male and female organs in the same individual
monophyletic--a group that includes all the descendants of the most recent common ancestor of its members
monotypic--a taxon
that contains only one species
mullerian mimicry--when
two unpalatable species resemble each other
nematocyst--a
stinging cell produced by cnidarians (jellyfish, etc)
nephridiopore--urinary pore
nomenclatural--having
to do with names
notal--relating to
the notum
notaspidean--a
member of the order notaspidea
notum--the upper
surface of an animal
nudibranch--a
member of the order nudibranchia
ocellate--having
ocelli
ocellus (plural: ocelli)--ring-like
spots resembling eyes
octocoral--a
member of the cnidarian subclass octocorallia, one of the groups known
as "soft corals"
opaline
gland--a gland in aplysiids that produces a milky fluid
operculum--the
plate that many gastropods use to seal the apertures of their shells
opisthobranch--a
member of the subclass opisthobranchia
oral hood--the
expanded "net" used by the genus Melibe
to catch food
oral tentacle--a
projection emerging near the mouth
oral veil--the
expanded front of the head in many dendronotids
oscules--the larger, excurrent, pores in sponges
ostia--the smaller, incurrent, pores in sponges
ovigerous--containing or bearing eggs
palmate
cerata--cerata resembling an open hand
papilla (plural: papillae)--a small,
finger-like projection or bump
papillate rhinophores--rhinophores
having papillae
paraphyletic--a group that does not include all the descendants of the most recent common ancestor of its members
parapodium (plural:
parapodia)--the
lateral projections of the body wall that enclose the mantle cavity
parapodial--relating
to the parapodia
patelliform--having
a cap-shaped shell
pelagic--living in
the open ocean, refers to actively swimming species of surface waters
pericardium--the
simple heart in opisthobranchs (= cardiac sack)
periostracum--the
outer layer of a gastropod shell
phanerobranch--dorids
that cannot fully retract their gills
phyllidiid--a
member of the family phyllidiidae
pinnate--feather-like
in form with small projections extending from both sides of a central
axis
planktonic--drifting
passively in the open ocean
planktotrophic--larvae
that spend a prolonged period in the plankton before settling
plastids--pigment
containing organelles in the cells of algae and other plants
pleurobranch--a
member of the order pleurobranchomorpha (formerly included tylodinoidea)
polyphyletic--a group that does not include the most recent common ancestor of all its members
posterior--pertaining
to the rear of the body
posterior shield--the
posterior portion of the body in cephalaspideans
process--a
projection,
usually elongate
prosobranch--gastropod
mollusks of the subclass prosobranchia
protoconch--the
larval shell in gastropod mollusks
proximal--the
portion of a structure closest to the body
pulmonate--gastropod
mollusks of the subclass pulmonata
punctate--covered
with small pits or depressions
pustule--a mound or
low projection, often under muscular control
rachis--the
central stalk or "rib" of a branchial plume
radula--the toothed
structure used by most mollusks in feeding
radular teeth--the
horny teeth that cover the radula
rhinophore--one of
the
tentacles on top of the heads of most opisthobranchs, presumably
sensory in function
rhinophore shaft--the
stalk or "trunk" of a rhinophore
rhinophore sheath--the
collar or cup surrounding the base of a rhinophore
rolled rhinophores--flattened
rhinophores that have inrolled margins forming a tube
rosette--a circular
cluster of branches or projections
sacoglossan--a
member of the order sacoglossa
sap sucking slug--a
member of the order sacoglossa
scleractinian--a
member of the cnidarian order scleractinia, most species referred to as
"hard corals"
sea butterfly--a
member of the order thecosomata
sea hare--a member
of the order notaspidea
sea slug--a member
of the subclass opisthobranchia, particularly those that lack shells
secondary metabolites--chemicals
created by an animal from compounds in their food
sensory bristles--fine
projections that presumably provide tactile information in aglajids
side-gilled slug--a
member of the order pleurobranchomorpha (formerly included tylodinoidea)
simple rhinophores--rhinophores
that lack any obvious ridges, lamellae or other "decorations"
siphon--a tube-like
extension of the mantle used for circulating water
solution bench--a
sandstone bench formed at about sea level by chemical and microbial
action (= accretion platform)
spicule--a tiny,
reinforcing structure formed by sponges and some opisthobranchs (among
others)
spire--the apical
portion of a gastropod shell
stria (plural: striae)--a fine line
or ridge
subapical--immediately
below the apex of a structure
submarginal--located
bellow the edge or margin of a structure such as a parapodium
subterminal--immediately
below the end of a structure
suture--the place
where two structures join, particularly two whorls of a gastropod shell
symbiont--an animal
that lives in close association with another animal
taxon
(plural: taxa)--a group used
in the classification of organisms such as genus, family, order, class,
etc.
sympatric species--species that have overlapping ranges
tentacle--a
long projection, usually sensory in function
tentaculiform foot corner--foot
corners that are elongated to form sensory tentacles
tripinate--branching
in three cycles from the central axis
tubercle--a small
projection or lump, usually larger than a papilla
umbilicus--the
axial opening around which a gastropod shell coils
veil--a
membrane-like extension of the head
veliger--the larvae
of gastropod mollusks
velum--a ciliated
structure in gastropod larvae used for swimming
ventral--pertaining
to the lower side
verrucose rhinophores--rhinophores
having irregular wrinkles
villi--finger-like or thread-like projections from a surface
villous--covered
with small, hair-like projections (villi)
visceral mass--the
internal organs of an opisthobranch
whorl--one
"turn" of a gastropod shell
zooxanthellae--the symbiotic algae that live
within the bodies of cnidarians, mollusks, etc.
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