Animals And Plants (O-Q)
Animals And Plants (O-Q)
The oak is a tree of the family fagaceae.
The oarfish are any of a family Regalecidae of deep-sea bony fishes, found in warm parts of the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian oceans. Oarfish are large, up to 9m long, elongated, and compressed, with a fin along the back and a manelike crest behind the head. They have a small mouth, no teeth or scales, and large eyes. They are often reported as sea serpents.
Obelia is a member of the order of calyptoblastea.
The ocelot is a wild cat found in central and south America.
Octobothrium is a member of the order monogenea.
The octopus is a cephalopod with eight arms.
The oesophagus is the region of the alimentary canal following the pharynx. The walls of the oesophagus are muscular and force food along by contractions.
The okapi (Okapia johnstoni) is a ruminant of the giraffe family, although with much shorter legs and neck, found in the tropical rainforests of central Africa. Purplish brown with a creamy face and black and white stripes on the legs and hindquarters, it is excellently camouflaged. Okapis have remained virtually unchanged for millions of years.
Oleaceae is a natural order of monopetalous exogenous plants. They are shrubs or trees with opposite, simple or compound leaves and small flowers.
The oligochaeta are the earthworm class of annelids, although some are freshwater rather than terrestial. They lay eggs in cocoons.
Oligotricha is an order of ciliata vera. They are free-living, parasitic ciliates with the cilia restricted to certain areas of the cell-body.
The olive is an evergreen tree native to Asia.
The olm is a cave-dwelling aquatic salamander, the only European member of the family Proteidae, the other members being the North American mudpuppies. Olms are found in underground caves along the Adriatic seaboard in Italy, Croatia, and Yugoslavia. The adult is permanently larval in form, about 25cm long, almost blind, with external gills and under-developed limbs.
An omnivore is an animal that eats both plant and animal matter.
The onion (Allium cepa) is a perennial herb of the order Liliaceae. It has an edible brown bulb which is much used in cooking and has been for thousands of years.
Onychophora is a terrestial class of arthropod. They have a thin cuticle. The head is composed of three segments with one pair of jaws.
Opalina is a member of the order of holotricha.
The ophidia are a suborder of squamata. These are the snakes. They are long and slender due to an elongation of the body. Limbs are absent, and limb girdle traces are usually absent. The mouth is very extensible.
The ophiuroidea are a subclass of stelleroidea. They are the brittle stars. They have a flattened body clearly marked into two regions; the disc and the arms. Tube feet extend from the under surface of the arms, but the groove is closed to form a tube. Locomotion is chiefly by muscular movement of the arms assisted by the feet.
The opossum is a north American marsupial.
The orang utan is an anthropoid ape found in borneo and sumatra.
The orfe is a fish of the carp family.
The ortolan is a songbird of the bunting family, common in Europe and west Asia, migrating to Africa in the winter. Long considered a delicacy among gourmets, it has become rare and is now a protected species.
The oryx is a large antelope found in African deserts.
The osprey is a bird of prey.
Osteichthyes is a subclass of fishes. These are the bony fishes. The endoskeleton is of bone. The exoskeleton is comprised of bony scales. The mouth is terminal and the external nostrils lie on the dorsal surface of the snout.
Ostracoda is a subclass of small crustaceans with a bivalved carapace and reduced trunk and abdominal limbs.
The ostrich is a member of the order Struthioniformes. It is the largest bird in existence. It has rudimentary wings and is incapable of flight. It has strong legs and can run fast for long distances.
Ousel was an ancient name for the blackbird, it is now the name of several birds found in Europe and the Americas.
The ovary is a female gonad.
The owl is a nocturnal bird of prey of the sub-order Striges.
The oxpecker is an African bird, of the genus Buphagus, of the starling family. It clambers about the bodies of large mammals, feeding on ticks and other parasites. It may help to warn the host of approaching dangers.
The oyster is a bivalve mollusc constituting the Ostreidae, or true oyster, family, having the upper valve flat, the lower concave, hinged by an elastic ligament. The mantle, lying against the shell, protects the inner body, which includes respiratory, digestive, and reproductive organs. Oysters commonly change their sex annually or more frequently; females may discharge up to a million eggs during a spawning period.
The oyster catcher is a chunky shorebird of the family Haematopodidae, with a laterally flattened, heavy bill that can pry open mollusc shells. The black and white American oyster catcher Haematopus palliatus is found on the Atlantic and south Pacific coasts.
The paca is a large, nocturnal, burrowing rodent found in central America.
Pachycephalosaurus was a herd living dinosaur with a 25cm thick bone on top of its skull which could have been used for defence against predators. It lived during the cretaceous period.
The palaeonisciformes is an order of actinopterygii. They are carnivorous and have a single large dorsal fin.
Palamedea is a genus of South American birds.
Paliurus is a genus of deciduous shrubs which are natives to southern Europe and Asia Minor belonging to the natural order Rhamnaceae.
The pallah (Aepyceros melampus) is a species of South African antelope.
A palm is a tree of the palmaceae family. They are found mainly in tropical countries. They usually have a an upright, unbranched stem and a head of large fan-shaped leaves.
Palm-kale is a variety of cabbage which grows to around 3-4 meters tall.
Palmelleae is a natural order of green-spored algae, amongst the lowest of plants and including the red snow and gory dew.
Palmer Worm is a popular name for the hairy caterpillar of the tiger-moth.
The Palmyra Palm (Borassus flabelliformis) is the common Indian palm, a tree found in the Middle East and India. When fully grown it reaches a height of 20 meters.
The panda is one of two carnivores of different families, native to north west China and Tibet. The giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) has black-and-white fur with black eye patches and feeds mainly on bamboo shoots, consuming about 8 kg of bamboo per day. It can grow up to 1.5m long, and weigh up to 140kg. The lesser, or red, panda (Ailurus fulgens) is of the raccoon family, and is about 50cm long and is coloured black and chestnut, with a long tail.
The pangolin or scaly anteater is a large mammal of the genus Manis, order Pholidota found in tropical Asia and Africa.
The pansy is a perennial garden flower.
Paramecium is a member of the order holotricha. It is a simple single cell animal common in fresh water where there are decaying vegetable remains.
Parrot refers to any bird of the order Psittaciformes, abundant in the tropics, especially in Australia and South America. They are mainly vegetarian, and range in size from the 8.5cm pygmy parrot to the 100cm Amazon parrot. The smaller species are commonly referred to as parakeets. The plumage is often very colorful, and the call is usually a harsh screech. Parrots all have hooked bills and feet adapted for tree climbing.
The partridge is any of various medium-sized ground-dwelling fowl of the family Phasianidae, which also includes pheasants, quail, and chickens. Partridges are Old World birds, some of which have become naturalised in North America, especially the European grey partridge (Perdix perdix), with mottled brown back, grey speckled breast, and patches of chestnut on the sides.
The pea is a climbing plant of the family leguminosae.
The peach is a tree of the family rosaceae.
A peacock is technically the male of any of various large pheasants. The name is most often used for the common peacock (Pavo cristatus), a bird of the pheasant family, native to southern Asia. It is rather larger than a pheasant. The male has a large fan-shaped tail, brightly colored with blue, green, and purple "eyes" on a chestnut background. The female (peahen) is brown with a small tail.
The peanut (ground-nut, Arachis hypogoea) is a leguminous annual plant with a hairy stem and abruptly pinnate leaflets. The nut is situated at the end of a stalk of some length, and is ripened under ground, this stalk having the peculiarity of flowering and then bending down and pushing the fruit into the earth. Peanuts are extensively cultivated in tropical countries.
The pear is a tree of the family rosaceae.
The pecan is a nut producing tree.
The peccary is one of two species of the New World genus Tayassu of piglike hoofed mammals. A peccary has a gland in the middle of the back which secretes a strong-smelling substance. Peccaries are blackish in colour, covered with bristles, and have tusks that point downward. Adults reach a height of 40cm and a weight of 25kg.
The pekan (fisher marten) is a North American marten (Martes penanti). It is about 1.2m long, with a doglike face, and brown fur with white patches on the chest. It eats porcupines.
The pekingese is a breed of small long-haired dog first bred at the Chinese court as the "imperial lion dog". It has a flat skull and flat face, is typically less than 25cm tall, and weighs less than 5kg.
The first specimens brought to the West were those taken during the Opium Wars when the Summer Palace in Beijing was looted in 1860.
The Pelecaniformes are an order of birds. These are the pelicans. There are six distinct families. The foot is comprised of 4 toes connected by webs.
The pelican is any of a family (Pelecanidae) of large, heavy water birds remarkable for the pouch beneath the bill which is used as a fishing net and temporary store for catches of fish. Some species grow up to 1.8m and have wingspans of 3m.
Penguins are any of an order (Sphenisciformes) of marine flightless birds, mostly black and white, found in the southern hemisphere. They range in size from 40cm to 1.2m tall, and have thick feathers to protect them from the intense cold. They are awkward on land, but their wings have evolved into flippers, making them excellent swimmers. Penguins congregate to breed in "rookeries", and often spend many months incubating their eggs while their mates are out at sea feeding.
Penicillin is an antibiotic fungus.
Pennatula is a member of the order alcyonaria.
Pepper is a plant of the genus capsicum.
The perch is any of the largest order of spiny-finned bony fishes, the Perciformes, with some 8,000 species. This order includes the sea basses, cichlids, damselfishes, mullets, barracudas, wrasses, and gobies. Perches of the freshwater genus Perca are found in Europe, Asia, and North America. They have varied shapes and are usually a greenish color. They are very prolific, spawning when about three years old, and have voracious appetites.
The percheron is a breed of strong and swift horse originaly bred in the Le Perche district of north France.
A perennial plant is one that lives for more than 2 years.
Perissodactyla is an order of eutheria. They are odd toed ungulates. Horses, tapirs and rhinoceroses. They eat vegetables and have a large caecum. The Stomach is simple.
Peritricha is an order of ciliata vera. They have a cone-shaped cell-body on a highly contractile stalk and a spiral of cilia leading to the cytostome.
In zoology, the periwinkle is any marine snail of the family Littorinidae, found on the shores of Europe and eastern North America. Periwinkles have a conical spiral shell, and feed on algae.
The petrel is any of various families of seabirds, including the worldwide storm petrels (family Procellariidae), which include the smallest seabirds, and the diving petrels (family Pelecanoididae) of the southern hemisphere, which feed by diving underwater and are characterized by having nostril tubes. They include fulmars and shearwaters.
The Phaethontidae is a family of the Pelecaniformes. These are the tropicbirds. They are the smallest member of the order. There are 3 species. They are about 2 feet long. They have 2 long central tail feathers.
Phalarope is any of a genus Phalaropus of small, elegant shorebirds in the sandpiper family (Scolopacidae). They have the habit of spinning in the water to stir up insect larvae. They are native to North America, Britain, and the polar regions of Europe. The male phalarope is courted by the female and hatches the eggs. The female is always larger and more colourful. The red-necked phalarope Phalaropus lobatus, grey Phalaropus fulicarius, and Wilson's phalarope Phalaropus tricolour can be found in North America.
The pheasant is a ground nesting bird.
Phylloxera is any of a family (Phylloxeridae) of small plant-sucking insects (order Homoptera) that attack the leaves and roots of some plants. The species Phylloxera vitifolia, a native of North America, attacks grapevines, laying its eggs under the bark.
The phylum annelida are the segmented worms. They are triploblastic, metamerically segmented, coelomate metazoa. The body wall is covered by a glandular epidermis and comprised of longitudinal and circular muscles.
Phylum arthropoda is the arthropod group of animals which includes; crayfish, lobsters, spiders, insects etc. They are metamerically segmented and bilaterally symmetrical animals. Typically, each segment has a pair of jointed appendages and at least one pair is modified as jaws.
The phylum brachiopoda are the lamp shells. They are triploblastic animals enclosed in a dorsal and a ventral shell. The anterior part of the body bears a horsheoe-shaped ridge covered in ciliated tentacles. The coelom is extensive and continued into the folds of the body wall below the shell and into the tentacles. A simple vascular system is present.
The phylum chaetognatha are the arrow worms. They are relatively simple triploblastic animals. The body is elongated and transparent. The gut is just a straight tube. The body has three regions; head, trunk and tail. The head bears a hood and rows of chitinous hooks. There is no blood vascular system. Eyes are usually present. The male gonads are in the tail, the female ovaries in the trunk.
The phylum chordata are a group of animals with a notochord present. The central nervous system is dorsal, hollow and tubular. They have a ventral heart and visceral clefts present in the pharynx.
The phylum echinodermata are starfishes, sea urchins, brittle stars and sea cucumbers. They are triploblastic coelomate marine animals. A calcareous skeleton is developed in the mesoderm. The coelom is divided into separte compartments which each carry out different functions.
Phylum mollusca is the mollusc group of animals. They are coelomate animals which do not show segmentation. The body is comprised of a head, foot and visceral mass. The skin of the viscreal mass is extended into soft folds which form the mantle which often secretes a shell. The respiratory organs are usually a pair of ctenidia.
Phylum nematoda are the roundworms. They are triploblastic animals with elongated, spindle-shaped bodies. A respiratory and blood vascular system are both lacking. The epidermis secretes a tough cuticle. Cilia are lacking. The roundworms are to be found everywhere that life can be supported.
The phylum phoronida are small marine gregarious zooids each enclosed in a membranous tube. They are triploblastic coelomate animals with a u shaped gut. Both the mouth and the anus are surrounded by a horeshoe-shaped ridge bearing numerous tentacles. The animals are hermaphrodite.
Phylum platyhelminthes is the family of flatworms. These are triplobastic acoelomate animals. They are usually small and leaf-like shaped. The alimentary canal has a single aperture, the mouth. Nitrogenous exrection and osmo-regulation are carried out by a flame-bulb system. These animals have a complex reproductive system, which is usually hermaphrodite.
The phylum polyzoa are small colonial animals usually resembling sea-weeds. They are mostly marine. The individuals of the colony are termed zooids and have a crown of ciliated tentacles.
Phylum protozoa are microscopic animals whose bodies are not divided into seperate cells.
The phylum rotifera are minute triploblastic animals lacking a true coelom. The body is of variable shape and protected by a cuticle. The gut is complicated. A crown of cilia and a spiral, ciliated tract lies in front of the mouth. There are separate sexes.
Physalia is a member of the order of siphonophora.
Physiology is the study of animal's activities.
The phytomastigina are a plant-like sub-class of mastigophora.
The pig (hog) is a hoofed mammal of the genus Sus, of the suidae family. The head is prolonged into a pointed snout. The feet have four toes. The skin is very thick and covered with stiff bristles. Pigs are very alert and inquisitive animals. The meat pork is obtained from pigs.
The pigeon is a general term for birds of the Columbidae family.
The pike is a member of the palaeonisciformes order.
The pilchard is any of various small, oily members of the herring family, Clupeidae, especially the commercial sardine of Europe (Sardina pilchardus), and the California sardine (Sardinops sagax).
The pilotfish is a small marine fish Naucrates ductor of the family Carangidae, which also includes pompanos. It hides below sharks, turtles, or boats, using the shade as a base from which to prey on smaller fish. It is found in all warm oceans and grows to about 36 cm/1.2 ft.
Pimpernel (Anagallis) is a genus of plants belonging to the natural order Primulaceae.
The pine is an evergreen conifer from which turpentine, tar and pitch are derived.
The pineapple is a plant native to south and central America but cultivated in many warmer climates.
The pintail is a British duck.
The pinworm is a nematode worm Enterobius vermicularis. It is an intestinal parasite of humans.
The piranha is a South American freshwater fish of the genus Serrusalmus, in the same order as cichlids. They can grow to 60cm long, and have razor-sharp teeth; some species may rapidly devour animals, especially if attracted by blood.
Pisces is the fish class of vertebrates. They are aquatic vertebrates with a streamlined body. The tail is a powerful muscular propulsion organ. The paired limbs are the pectoral and pelvic fins which regulate the swimming level. Median fins are present and maintain stability.
The pitta is a genus of tropical songless bird of order Passeriformes, genus Pitta, forming the family Pillidae. Some 20 species are native to south east Asia, west Africa, and Australia. They have round bodies, big heads, and are often brightly coloured. They live on the ground and in low undergrowth, and can run from danger.
Plaice is any of various flatfishes of the flounder group, especially the genera Pleuronectes and Hippoglossoides.
Planaria is a member of the order tricladida.
Plankton is minute plant and animal organisms found in water. It is a source of food for many fish and whales.
A plant is a living organism which does not have the ability to move, and does not have sensory organs or digestive organs.
A plastron is a ventral shield.
Plateosaurus was a herbivore dinosaur from the triassic era. It grew to 6m long and 3m tall. Plateosaurus digested food with the aid of swallowed stones.
The platyrrhina are a suborder of anthropoidea. The nostrils face forwards. The internasal septum is broad and they have three premolars. The tail may be prehensile.
The plum is a tree bearing the fruit of the same name.
The pochard are various diving ducks found in Europe and North America, especially the genus Aythya.
Podiceps (Grebe) is a genus of birds of the family Colymbidae characterized by a straight conical bill, no tail, a short tarsus, flattened toes which are separate but broadly fringed at their edges by a firm membrane and legs set so far back that on land the Grebe adopts the upright stance of a penguin. They are excellent swimmers and feed on small fish, frogs, crustaceans and insects.
The Podicipediformes are an order of birds. These are the grebes. They are water birds. They don't have webbed feet, instead each toe is fringed separately. They build floating nests directly on the water.
The polecat is an Old World weasel (Mustela putorius) with a brown back and dark belly and two yellow face patches. The body is about 50cm long and it has a strong smell from anal gland secretions. It is native to Asia, Europe, and north Africa.
The pollack is a marine fish (Pollachius virens) of the cod family. It grows to 75cm, and is found close to the shore on both sides of the north Atlantic.
The polychaeta are the bristle worms. They are a class of marine phylum annelida with obvious segmentation. The head usually bears tentacles and palps.
The polycladida is a marine order of turbellaria. The gut has numerous caeca which ramify through the body. Numerous simple eyes are usually present.
Polymastigina are an order of zoomastigina. They are flagellates with four or more flagella.
Polystoma is a member of the order monogenea.
The pomeranian is a breed of toy dog, about 15cm high, weighing about 3 kg. It has long straight hair with a neck frill, and the tail is carried over the back.
A pony is a small horse less than 14.2 hands tall.
The poodle is a breed of gun dog, including the standard poodle (above 38cm at the shoulder), the miniature poodle(below 38cm), and the toy poodle (below 28 cm) varieties. The dense curly coat, usually cut into an elaborate style, is often either black or white, although greys and browns are also bred. The poodle probably originated in Russia, was naturalized in Germany, where it was used for retrieving ducks and gained its name and became a luxury dog in France.
A porcupine is any rodent with quills on its body, belonging to either of two families: Old World porcupines (family Hystricidae) are terrestrial in habit and have long black-and-white quills; or New World porcupines (family Erethizontidae) which are tree-dwelling, with prehensile tails and much shorter quills.
Poroshora is a member of the gregarinida order.
A porpoise is any small whale of the family Delphinidae that, unlike dolphins, have blunt snouts without beaks. Common porpoises of the genus Phocaena can grow to 1.8 m long; they feed on fish and crustaceans.
A Portuguese man-of-war is any of a genus Physalia of phylum Coelenterata. They live in the sea, in colonies, and have a large air-filled bladder on top and numerous hanging tentacles made up of feeding, stinging, and reproductive individuals. The float can be 30cm long.
The potto is an arboreal, nocturnal, African prosimian primate Perodicticus potto belonging to the loris family. It has a thick body, strong limbs, and grasping feet and hands, and grows to 40cm long, with horny spines along its backbone, which it uses in self-defense. It climbs slowly, and eats insects, snails, fruit, and leaves.
The powan is a fish found in Loch Lomond, Scotland. It is of the same genus as the polland and the vendace. Also known as the fresh-water herring.
The prairie dog is a burrowing rodent.
Primate is the family of mammals that includes humans, apes, monkeys, lemurs bushbabies, lorises and tarsiers.
The primrose is a woodland plant common in Europe.
The proboscidea are an order of eutheria. They are large animals of the ungulate type. The two upper incisors are modified to form tusks. Canines and
Premolars are lacking.
The Procellariiformes are an order of birds. These are the tube-nosed swimmers. They are sea birds of about 100 species. They have a horn sheathed bill, tubular nostrils and webbed feet.
The pronghorn is a ruminant mammal (Antilocapra americana) constituting the family Antilocapridae, native to the west USA. It is not a true antelope. It is light brown and about 1m high. It sheds its horns annually and can reach speeds of 100 kph.
Protomonadina are an order of zoomastigina. They are small colourless flagellates. In the trypanosomes is a single flagellum.
Protoplasm is the basic living substance of all animals, rather than the dead substances such as found in nails and hair. It is responsible for carrying out all the vital activities characteristic of living animals.
The Protozoa are a division of primitive animals consisting of a single cell.
The ptarmigan is a Scottish bird similar to the grouse.
Pteranodon was a flying reptile of the cretaceous period. It had a wing span of 7m and fed on sea fish.
Pterygota is a two division subclass of insecta. In the first division are the cockroaches, locusts, earwigs, lice, termites etc. In the second division the butterflies, moths, beetles, ants, bees, wasps fleas, gnats and meat-flies etc.
The puffer fish is a fish of the family Tetraodontidae. As a means of defense it inflates its body with air or water until it becomes spherical and the skin spines become erect. Puffer fish are mainly found in warm waters, where they feed on molluscs, crustaceans, and coral.
The puffin is a sea bird found in the north atlantic.
The puma is a large wild cat found in the Americas.
The pumpkin is a trailing plant of the gourd genus with heart shaped five lobed leaves.
Pyrus is a genus of ornamental and fruit trees belonging to the pomeous section of the natural order of Rosaceae.
The python is a genus of constricting snake found in the tropics and allied to the Boidae.
Quadruped is the group of animals with four feet.
The quail is the smallest species of the partridge family.
Quamash (Camassia esculenta) is a North American plant of the lily family with an edible root which is eaten by the Indians.
Quamoclit is a genus of climbing ornamental plants of the natural order Convolvulaceae.
The quetzal is a long-tailed Central American bird (Pharomachus mocinno) of the trogon family. The male is brightly coloured, with green, red, blue, and white feathers, and is about 1.3m long including the tail. The female is smaller and lacks the tail and plumage. The quetzal eats fruit, insects, and small frogs and lizards. It is the national emblem of Guatemala, and was considered sacred by the Mayans and the Aztecs.
The quezal is a bird found in Central America. It is a member of the Trogon family. It is about the size of a magpie and the male has tail-feathers which are an emerald green colour and are about 3 feet long. The quezal lives in forests and feeds on fruits.
The quince is a tree of the rosaceae family.