1. Home
  2. Education
  3. Animals / Wildlife

Z

This collection of terms and their definitions should help as you try to understand the vast language that has developed for the study of animals. Terms in this category begin with the letter 'Z'.

Glossary index: A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z

Please refer to the Glossary Citations page for details about sources used for glossary entries.
Zooid
A term that refers to a single individual animal in a colony of invertebrates. Multiple zooids are often attached to each other. A group of zooids may function as a single animal.
Zooplankton
A group or collection of various species of plankton.
Zooxanthellae
Unicellular yellow-brown algae that live in the gastrodermis of reef-building corals.
Zygodactyly
In birds, refers to the arrangement of the toes in which the outer front toe faces back and as a result, two toes point forward and two backward.
Zygote
An egg that has been fertilized.

Explore Animals / Wildlife

More from About.com

  1. Home
  2. Education
  3. Animals / Wildlife
  4. Glossary
  5. Z

©2008 About.com, a part of The New York Times Company.

All rights reserved.