Glossary

Glossary: S

sagittal

1. Relating to the suture between the two parietal bones of the skull in vertebrates. 2. Relating to the sagittal plane, which extends through the midline of a bilateral animal, dividing it into two equal halves.

saltatorial

jumps or hops

specialized for leaping or bounding locomotion; jumps or hops.

saltwater or marine

mainly lives in oceans, seas, or other bodies of salt water.

sanguivore

an animal that mainly eats blood

savanna

A grassland with scattered trees or scattered clumps of trees, a type of community intermediate between grassland and forest. See also Tropical savanna and grassland biome.

scavenger

an animal that mainly eats dead animals

scent marks

communicates by producing scents from special gland(s) and placing them on a surface whether others can smell or taste them

scientific name

The scientific name of an animal consists of two levels of its taxonomic classification, the genus and species. Scientific names are in Latin. They are usually printed in italics, with the genus capitalized. Thus the scientific name of the tiger is Panthera (genus) tigris (species). Sometimes a species is further subdivided into subspecies, and the subspecies name is added to the scientific name. Thus the Siberian tiger's scientific name is Panthera tigris altaica. Once the genus and species have been mentioned, they are usually abbreviated in subsequent occurrences (e.g. the Siberian tiger's scientific name would be written P. t. altaica.)

scrub forest

scrub forests develop in areas that experience dry seasons.

scyphistoma

a larva of a scyphozoan (Phylum Cnidara, Class Scyphozoa, a group of jellyfish), made up of an elongated and constricted polyp which buds off swimming medusae.

seasonal breeding

breeding is confined to a particular season

sedentary

remains in the same area

seed dispersal

helps spread the seeds of a plant

semelparous

offspring are all produced in a single group (litter, clutch, etc.), after which the parent usually dies. Semelparous organisms often only live through a single season/year (or other periodic change in conditions) but may live for many seasons. In both cases reproduction occurs as a single investment of energy in offspring, with no future chance for investment in reproduction.

sessile

non-motile; permanently attached at the base.

sexual

reproduction that includes combining the genetic contribution of two individuals, a male and a female

sexual dimorphism

sexes are somehow different in appearance.

See also: polymorphic

simultaneously hermaphroditic

condition of hermaphroditic animals (and plants) in which the reproductive organs of both sexes are present and functional at the same time

social

sociality

associates with others of its species; forms social groups.

soil aeration

digs and breaks up soil so air and water can get in

solitary

lives alone

spawn

the eggs of certain aquatic organisms

spawning season

the time of year during which an aquatic organism releases sperm and eggs into the water, resulting in fertilization.

species

A taxonomic division that generally refers to a group of animals which are similar in structure and descent and are able to breed among themselves.

species flock

Referring to an ecologically distinct group of species descended from a single parent (monophyletic) that have evolved in an isolated geographic area (i.e. lake or island).

spelunker

A person who explores and/or studies caves.

spermatophores

a packet enclosing sperm, produced by males of several invertebrate groups and some vertebrates.

spiral cleavage

the egg cleavage pattern characterisic of protostomes (Protostomia, see protostome), in which egg cleavage result in a spiralled mass of cells.

spongin

a fibrous material made up of the skeletal network of horny sponges.

steppe

Open grassy plains in the temperate zone, characterized by low and sporadic rainfall and a wide annual temperature variation.

stores or caches food

places a food item in a special place to be eaten later. Also called "hoarding"

subnivian

a term used to describe animals which burrow or live under the snow.

substrate

Usually, something upon which an enzyme acts, but occasionally used as a synonym for substratum.

substratum

Substance upon which an organism grows or lives

subumbrella

the underside of a body of a jellyfish.

suburban

living in residential areas on the outskirts of large cities or towns.

suctorial

adapted for sucking or clinging by suction, or having parts or organs that are adapted for sucking or clinging.

swamp

a wetland area that may be permanently or intermittently covered in water, often dominated by woody vegetation.

syconoid

a type of canal system in certain sponges (Phylum Porifera).

symbiosis

an intimate relationship between two different species. The symbiont (see symbiont) always benefits and the host (other member of the symbiosis) may benefit (called a mutualism), not be affected (called a commensalism), or may be harmed (predation or parasitism).

synonym

synonymy, synonymum

one of two or more scientific names that have been applied to a given taxon (species, genus, family, etc.). A synonym is a name by which a taxon was previously known, but is no longer considered the valid name.

See also: taxon; taxonomy

systematics

The science of classifying organisms based on their evolutionary relationships, most often using shared-derived (synapomorphic) characters such as genetic, morphological, physiological, and behavioral characters.

See also: taxonomy; phylogenetic