Q. No.

4 ‘J’

Study of morphological adaptations of animals, found in xeric and aquatic

conditions or habitats.

1. Camel (Camelus spp)- Xerocoels animal.

1. It is able to tolerate a wide range of temperature fluctuations and maintain blood moisture
even during hot period.
2. Its slender snout bears a cleft upper lip, long eye lashes and muscular nostrils which can be
closed for protection from windblown sand.
3. The camel accumulates its fat in the hump rather than over the body. These spreads heat
away from the body and its thick coat prevents the flow of heat inward towards the body.

4. It is able to drink about 80 litters of water in just 10 minutes.

5. It excretes highly concentrated urine and can withstand dehydration up to 25% of its body
weight.

6. Henle’s loop of camel is the longest. It retains urea in body tissue, which does not harm it.
2. Kangaroo rats (Dipodomys sppp) –
1. This rat inhabits a variety of desert niches. These can include open desert scrub, open
grasslands, washes, sandy soils or creosote flats.
2. Kangaroo rats eat seeds from a variety of desert grasses as well as mesquite beans. On
occasion, some kangaroo rats will eat green vegetation and some insects.
3. Adaptations: The kangaroo rat is almost perfectly adapted to life in the desert.
4. They can survive without ever drinking any water, getting needed moisture from their seed
diet.
5. They have excellent hearing and can even detect the silent sound of an owl approaching.
6. Their large back legs enable them to jump up to 9 feet (2.75m) in one jump in order to
escape from predators.
3. Fresh water fish ,Rohu (Labeo rohita):
1. Body short and deep, somewhat laterally compressed.

2. It has paired and unpaired fins which help in swimming.

3. It respires by gills which are specialized breathing organs to use gases dissolved in water.

4. It has air bladder, which acts as a organ of buoyancy.

5. Its body is covered with scales which prevents entry of water in the body.

6. It possesses lateral line system which functions as a pressure receptor.

7. Eyes have no eyelids. Eyes are protected by hardened lenses.

4. Dolphin:

1. Body is smooth, streamlined and furless which reduces friction.

2. The snout is beak like.

3. They have backward curving towards dorsal side and snout is beak like.

4. Dolphins’ flippers provide control for steering slowing and going up and down.

5. Nostrils are positioned near the top of the head to allow animal to the surface
breath.

6. Body fat is deposited in a thick layer beneath the skin.

7. They conserve oxygen while under water.

 Viva Voce

1. Enlist morphological adaptations in desert animals.

i. Animals are poikilotherms.
ii. They stay in burrows to avoid water loss from body and excrete concentrated urine.
iii. The eyes, ear and nostrils are well protected against the sand.

2. Enlist the morphological adaptations in aquatic animals.

i. The body is streamlined. Head is blunt and tail is long.
ii. They have fins or flippers or webbed legs for swimming.
iii. They have gills for respiration.
iv. Body is covered with scales.
v. Body is provided with air sacs.

3. Give functions of,

A. Hump- In hump fat is stored which is source of nourishment food is scares.
B. Gills- They are organs of respiration in aquatic animals.
C. Flipper- Flippers are flattened limbs of aquatic mammals, which helps in swimming.
Flippers controls for steering, slowing down or going up and down.
D. Caudal fins- it is tail fin. It is used to generate power during swimming.

4. Enlist cursorial adaptations in desert animals.

1. Increased limb bone length.
2. Decreased distal limb weight.
3. Reduction or loss of digits.
4. Reduced or absent clavicle,