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ZOOLOGY
Dengue fever (Break bone fever):
• Causative agent : Dengue virus or Flavi virus (DENV 1-4 virus)
RNA virus of the family Flaviviridae
• Diagnosis : Tourniquet test
• Site of infection : Skin and blood
• Mode of transmission: i) Mosquito vector Aedes aegypti
ii) They typically bite during the day, particularly in the early morning
• Symptoms :
i) Severe flu like illness with a sudden onset of fever
ii) Headache, muscle and joint pain, fall in blood platelet count.
iii) In a small proportion of cases the disease develops into the life-threatening dengue hemorrhagic
fever, resulting in bleeding, low levels of blood platelets
iv) There is leakage of plasma from the blood vessels which typically lasts one to two days
• Prevention :
i) This is done by getting rid of open sources of water,
ii) By adding insecticides or biological control agents like Gambusia fishes into stagnant water

Chikungunya :
• Causative agent : Alpha virus (Toga virus : RNA virus)
• Diagnosis : Blood test
• Site of infection : Nervous System, brain, heart, lungs, kidney, skin, joints
• Mode of transmission: Mosquito vector Aedes aegypti
• Symptoms :
i) Fever, joints pain
ii) Joint swelling
iii) Headache
iv) Muscle pain
v) Nausea
vi) Fatigue and rashes
vii) Sudden onset of fever usually lasting two to seven days, and joint pains typically lasting weeks
or months but sometimes years.
• Prevention :
i) This is done by getting rid of open sources of water,
ii) By adding insecticides or biological control agents like Gambusia fishes into stagnant water
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MODERN SYNTHETIC THEORY
(Synthetic theory / Genetical theory/ Neo-Darwinism)
• Fisher, Sewall Wright, Mayr
It is supported by Fisher
• According to this theory, five basic factors are involved in the process of organic evolution. They are (i)
mutations,, (iii) genetic recombination, (iv) natural selection and (v)
gene mutations, (ii) chromosomal mutation (
reproductive isolation.
(i) Gene mutations : Changes in the structure of a gene (DNA molecule) are called gene mutations or
point mutation. They alter the phenotypic characters of the individuals. Thus, gene mutations tend to
produce ‘variations’ in the offspring.
mutations : Changes in the structure of chromosomes (due to deletion, addition,
(ii) Chromosomal mutation
duplication, inversion or translocation) are called chromosomal mutations. They also bring about
variations in the phenotype of organisms which lead to the occurrence of variations in the offspring.
(iii) Genetic recombination : Recombination of genes due to crossing over during meiosis are also
responsible for bringing about genetic variability among the individuals of the same species , thus,
contributing to the occurrence of heritable variations
ral selection : Natural selection does not produce any genetic changes but once genetic
(iv) Natural
favourss some genetic changes while rejecting others. Hence it is considered the
changes occurred, It favou
evolution.
driving force of ev

Diagrammatic representation of the operation of natural selection of different traits :

a) Stabilizing b) Directional and c) Disruptive
(v) Reproductive isolation : The absence of gene exchange between populations is called the
reproductive isolation. It plays a great role in giving new species and preserving the species
ving rise to ne
integrity..
 25
• With progress in genetics, the sources of variation were explained and Darwin‘s theory was modified.

• Now, the most accepted theory of evolution is known as synthetic theory of evolution, in which the
origin of species is based on the interaction of genetic variation and natural selection.

RED DATA BOOK AND IUCN

Red Data Book:
• This book initiated in the year 1963 contains a record of animals & plants which are known to be in
danger. This Book is maintained by the IUCN [International Union for Conservation of Nature and
Natural Resources] was founded in 1948.

• Now it is called as World Conservation Union [WCU]. It has Head Quarter at Morges, Switzerland.

• It maintains a Red Data Book or Red list which is a catalogue of threatened plants and animals facing
risk of extinction.

Endangered (or) Threatened species in India

The Asiatic lion Panthera leo persica

The black buck Antelope cervicapra

Red panda Ailurus ochraceus

The lion tailed macaque Macaca silenus

Tiger Panthera tigris

Kashmir stag Cervus elaphus hanglu

Elephant Elephas maximus indicus

Pygmy hog Sus salvanius

Siberian crane Grus leucogeranus

Slender loris (sloth) Loris tardigradus

Red list has nine categories:

• Extinct, Extinct in the Wild, Critically Endangered, Endangered, Vulnerable, Lower Risk, Near
threatened , Data Deficient and Not Evaluated.
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RED LIST CATEGORY

S. No. Red List Category Character

When there is no reasonable doubt that the last individual

1. Extinct (EX) has died.
E.g: Dodo

When extensive surveys, in known and / or expected

2. Extinct in the wild (EW) habitats, have not recorded an individual.
E.g: Bombyx mori

When it is facing an extremely high risk of extinction in

3. Critically Endangered (CR) the wild in the near future.
THREATENED CATEGORY

E.g: Sus salvanius (Pygmy hog), Barberis niligiriansis

When it is not Critically Endangered, however is facing a

very high risk of disappearance in the wild in the
4. Endangered (EN)
immediate future.
E.g: Macaca silenus (Monkey)

When it is not Critically endangered or Endangered, but

is facing a high risk of disappearance in the wild in the
5. Vulnerable (VU)
medium-term future.
E.g: Black buck (Antelope)

When it has been evaluated and does not satisfy the

Lower Risk (or) criteria for critically Endangered, Endangered or
6.
Least concern (LC) Vulnerable.
E.g: Humans

When there is no sufficient information to make a direct,

7. Data Deficient (DD) or indirect, assessment of its risk of extinction.
E.g: Mesoperipatus tholloni (velvet worm)

When it has not yet been assessed against any of the

8. Not Evaluated (NE)
above criteria.

Taxa which do not qualify for conservation dependent,

9. Near threatened (NT)
but which are close to qualifying for vulnerable.
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RAMSAR CONVENTION (only for CBSE Board)

• Ramsar convention is an international treaty for the conservation and utilization of wetlands, recognizing
the fundamental ecological functions of wetlands and their economic, cultural, scientific and recreational
value.

• Ramsar convention was signed in 1971. Australia was one of the 1st country to sign Ramsar
conservation. It was named after the city Ramsar in Iran.

• Under Ramsar convention, a wide variety of natural and human-made habitat types ranging from river to
coral reefs can be classified as Ramsar wetlands. Wetlands include marshes, lakes, coral reefs, etc.

• Ramsar convention encourages the designation of sites containing wetlands that are important for
conserving biological diversity.

• Ramsar convention broadly aims to conserve worldwide loss of wetlands and this can be conserved by
wise use and management of water resources.

Ramsar Sites

• Ashtamudi wetland (Kerala), Bhitarkanika Mangroves (Orissa), Bhoj wetland (Madhya Pradesh),
Chandra Taal (Himachal Pradesh) etc. are some of the Ramsar sites. Indian wetlands are of intervention
importance under Ramsar convention.

• Ramsar convention commit themselves to work towards the "three pillars" of the convention:
• Ensuring the conservation and wise use of wetlands
• The wise use of all wetlands in national environment planning
• Consulting with other parties about the implementation of the convention.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Bacillary Dysentery : (Shigellosis) :

• Causative agent : Shigella dysenteriae (Bacteria)

• Mode of transmission: Faecal oral route

• Symptoms :

i) Abdominal pain

ii) Blood and mucus in the stools

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• National parks :
The first national park in the world is Yellowstone national park.
The first national park in India, Jim Corbett national park 1936
The famous national parks → Ranthambore national park, Rajasthan
→ Kaziranga national park, Assam
→ Sundarbans national park, West Bengal
• Wild life sanctuaries :
i) Pulicat (lake) sanctuary - Andhra Pradesh
ii) kalakad wild life sanctuary - Tamilnadu
iii) Chilka lake bird sanctuary - Orissa
• Biosphere Reserves :
i) Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve - (the first biosphere reserve in India) → Karnataka, Tamilnadu,
Kerala
ii) Agasthya mala biosphere reserve - Kerala and Tamilnadu
PLAGUE :
• Causative agent : Yersinia pestis (Bacteria).
• Mode of transmission: It is transmitted to humans by the bite of a flea.
• Symptoms : Its symptoms include abdominal pain followed by diarrhoea and vomiting
• Diagnosis : It can be diagnosed by culturing Yersinia pestis from the sample taken from a
patient.
• Prevention and cure :No vaccines are available but it can be treated using strong antibiotics
DIPHTHERIA :
• Causative agent : Corynebacterium diphtheriae (Bacteria)
• Mode of transmission: It is an acute infectious disease that spreads through respiratory droplets
(such as those produced by a cough or sneeze) of an infected person.
• Symptoms : Block the airway and cause suffocation.
• Prevention and cure :The disease can be prevented with DPT (diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus)
vaccine.
National animal of India Tiger (Panthera tigris)
National aquatic animal River dolphin (Delphinus gangeticus)
National bird of India Pavo (Peacock)
The king cobra
National reptile of India
(Ophiophagus hannah)
Elephant
National heritage animal of India
(Elephas maximus indicus)

***