Biology Reference Libraries
Caenorhabditis elegans is a species of parasitic roundworm in the Nematoda phylum. It can be found in temperate regions, in many different areas of the world. It prefers to reside in nutrient rich soils. Its scientific name is derived from the Greek terms Caeno, meaning recent, rhabditis, meaning rod-like, and the Latin term elegans, which means elegant. It was first named by Maupas in 1900,...
The dog roundworm (Toxocara canis) is a species of parasitic worm that infects canid species. It is yellowish white in color and can reach an average length between 3.5 and 7 inches, with females typically growing large than males. The dog roundworm can be transmitted in four different ways. The most common form of transmission occurs when an egg containing second stage larvae is released...
Wuchereria bancrofti is a species of roundworm in the Nematoda phylum. This species is spread through a mosquito vector, which means that it is transferred through mosquitos. This species infects over 120 million people in South America, Africa, and other tropical and subtropical areas. It is one of three species of parasitic worm that can cause lymphatic filariasis, which can lead to...
The New World hookworm (Necator americanus) is a hookworm that can be found in the New World. This species, along with other species in the Nematode phylum, is a parasitic worm that is commonly found in cats, dogs, and humans. Infections from this species are known as Necatoriasis. However, there are two common species of hookworm that infest humans, known as the Old World hookworm (Ancylostoma...
The harp seal (Pagophilus groenlandicus), also known as the saddleback seal, is a true seal in the Phocidae family. It is native to northern areas of the Atlantic Ocean and to some areas of the Arctic Ocean. Its scientific name means "ice-lover from Greenland,” and it was previously classified within Phoca genus, although studies have shown that it is unique enough to be in a distinct genus....
The rosy feather star (Antedon bifida) is a species of crinoid that can be found in northwestern waters of Europe. Its range extends from Portugal in the south to the Shetland Islands and includes Venezuela, West Africa, Algeria, and Tunisia. This species resides at an average depth of 650 feet, although it can occasionally be found in deeper waters. The rosy feather star has a disc shaped...
Muscle is soft tissue that is filled with protein filaments that manipulates the shape of a cell which can help with posture, movement and functions of other organs in the body such as the lungs and heart as well as the digestive tract. Formation and Orientation There are three different types of muscle tissues; skeletal, smooth and cardiac muscles. Skeletal muscle is used to hold...
The large intestine is the organ that follows the small intestine but is the last part of the digestive tract before the waste leaves the body. Formation and Orientation The small intestine is on average about five feet long. It is composed of four distinct structural parts; the cecum, colon, and anus. The cecum is the part of the large intestine that comes first. It is separated into...
The Caspian seal (Pusa caspica) is one of the smallest species in the true seal family that is native only to the Caspian Sea. It can be seen on shorelines, rocky islands, and ice blocks that occur throughout the sea. In warmer months, these seals will inhabit northern areas of this range, but in colder months, they inhabit cooler waters and the mouths of the Ural and Volga rivers. It is...
The common seal (Phoca vitulina), also known as the harbor seal or harbour seal, is a true seal in the Phocidae family. It can be found in the northern Pacific, Atlantic, Baltic, and North Seas along the coastlines in these areas. This species holds five recognized subspecies, although the Western Atlantic common seal subspecies is questionably classified. The common seal can reach an...
