What are the adaptations of terrestrial animals?
Quick Answer
When animals colonized terrestrial habitats, they had to adjust to the fluctuating temperatures, the replacement of water with air and the increased level of oxygen. Terrestrial animals adapted to these challenges by developing different metabolic systems, employing thermoregulatory behaviors, developing desiccation-resistant skin or exoskeletons. Additionally, terrestrial animals generally use different locomotor strategies than aquatic organisms, although there is some overlap. For instance, some fish ���walk��� along the bottom of ocean.
Continue ReadingFull Answer
Amphibians, whose name means ���dual-life,��� are excellent examples of animals that are simultaneously adapted to terrestrial and aquatic existences. Frogs, for instance, have skins that are best suited for the aquatic environment, and most species must either live near the water or develop external secretions that prevent dehydration. Frogs are skilled swimmers, but they've evolved very efficient locomotor methods for use on land; some even live in the trees. Finally, many frogs breathe oxygen through both the air and the water, which enables them to live in both ecosystems.
The two types of animals most successful in colonizing terrestrial habitats were vertebrates and arthropods. Arthropods derive support from their strong exoskeletons, which enabled them to overcome the difference in density between water and air. Air is much less dense than water, so the body must be more rigid.
Learn more about Animal ReproductionRelated Questions
-
Q:
Which animals migrate?
A: There are few observable traits distinguishing migrating animals from non-migratory species. Many birds, such as Arctic terns, mallards and bar-tailed godw... Full Answer >Filed Under: -
Q:
Do chickens mate?
A: Chickens do mate, in the sense that they engage in sexual copulation, although the anatomical details are different from mating in humans and other animals... Full Answer >Filed Under: -
Q:
What are some animals that mate for life?
A: Some animals that mate for life are gibbons, black vultures, wolves, albatrosses and prairie voles, according to Mother Nature Network. Gibbons are the clo... Full Answer >Filed Under: -
Q:
How do animals store glucose?
A: The primary way that animals, or more specifically, animal cells store glucose is in a compound known as glycogen. Glycogen is primarily stored by liver ce... Full Answer >Filed Under:
