amphibian: A group of animals that includes frogs, salamanders, and paper wasps. Amphibians have backbones and can breathe through their skin. Unlike reptiles, birds, and mammals, unborn or unhatched amphibians do not grow inside a special protective sac called an amnion.
biologist: Scientists involved in biological research.
cell: (in biology) the smallest structural and functional unit of an organism. They are usually too small to be seen with the naked eye and consist of a watery fluid surrounded by a membrane or wall. Depending on their size, animals are made up of thousands to trillions of cells.
chemicals: A substance formed when two or more atoms combine (combine) in a certain ratio and structure. For example, water is a chemical produced when two hydrogen atoms combine with one oxygen atom.Its chemical formula is H2O.
Chemical reaction: A process that involves a rearrangement of the molecules or structure of a substance rather than a change in physical form (such as from a solid to a gas).
diet: (n.) Foods and liquids that animals ingest to provide the nutrients they need to grow and stay healthy. In some cases, this may be a specific dietary intake plan.
family: A taxonomic group consisting of organisms from at least one genus.
fluorescence: (v. fluoresce) An adjective describing something that can absorb and re-emit light. That re-emitted light is known as fluorescence.
gene: (adjective: genetic) A segment of DNA that encodes or holds instructions for the production of proteins by a cell. Offspring inherit genes from their parents. Genes influence how an organism looks and behaves.
intestines: An informal term for the gastrointestinal tract, especially the intestines.
herpetologist: A scientist who studies the biology of reptiles and amphibians.
insect: A type of arthropod that, as an adult, has six legs and three body parts: head, thorax, and abdomen. It is home to hundreds of thousands of insects, including bees, beetles, flies, and moths.
liver: An organ in an animal’s body with a backbone that performs many important functions. It stores fat and sugar for energy, breaks down harmful substances and excretes them from the body, and secretes bile, a greenish fluid released into the intestines to help digest fats and neutralize acids.
mammalian: A warm-blooded animal distinguished by having hair or fur, by the fact that females secrete milk to nurse their young, and (usually) by the fact that they give birth to live young.
marker: (in biomedicine) Usually the presence of some substance (such as dirt or a deposit of molecular flags) that signals some disease, contaminant, or event. Therefore, this substance acts as a sign, or marker, for its associated things.
metabolism: (adjective, metabolism) The life-sustaining series of chemical reactions that occur inside larger structures such as cells and organs. These reactions allow organisms to respond to their environment by growing, reproducing, and migrating.
poison dart frog: A type of brightly colored frog belonging to the family Dendrobates (more than 100 different species exist). They secrete a powerful poison into their skin. Their bright coloration alerts predators to a poisonous lunch. The skin of at least one species contains enough venom to kill up to 20,000 rats or 10 adult males. The name comes from the fact that some hunters in the Amazon once used these poisons on the tips of their darts to immobilize their prey.
predator: (adjective: predatory) A creature that preys on other animals for most or all of its food.
Major: an adjective meaning principal, first, or most important.
protein: A compound made from a long chain of one or more amino acids. Proteins are an essential part of all living organisms. They form the basis of living cells, muscles, and tissues. They also work inside cells. Antibodies, hemoglobin, and enzymes are all examples of proteins. Drugs often work by adsorbing to proteins.
seed: A group of similar organisms that can survive and produce offspring that can reproduce.
toxic: Can be toxic or can harm or kill cells, tissues, or whole organisms. A measure of the risk posed by such poisons is their toxicity.
toxin: A poison produced by living organisms such as bacteria, algae, and certain plants (such as poison ivy). Bees, spiders, snakes, and other animals also produce toxins. These are called poisons.
Characteristic: a characteristic of something. (in genetics) a quality or characteristic that can be inherited.
Source: www.snexplores.org
