Table of contents

1. Introduction to Biology2h 42m
2. Chemistry3h 37m
3. Water1h 26m
4. Biomolecules2h 23m
5. Cell Components2h 26m
6. The Membrane2h 31m
7. Energy and Metabolism2h 0m
8. Respiration2h 40m
9. Photosynthesis2h 49m
10. Cell Signaling59m
11. Cell Division2h 47m
12. Meiosis2h 0m
13. Mendelian Genetics4h 44m
14. DNA Synthesis2h 27m
15. Gene Expression3h 6m
16. Regulation of Expression3h 31m
17. Viruses37m
- Viruses
  37m
18. Biotechnology2h 58m
19. Genomics17m
- Genomes
  17m
20. Development1h 5m
21. Evolution3h 1m
22. Evolution of Populations3h 53m
23. Speciation1h 37m
24. History of Life on Earth2h 6m
25. Phylogeny2h 31m
26. Prokaryotes4h 59m
27. Protists1h 12m
28. Plants1h 22m
29. Fungi36m
- Fungi
  19m
- Fungi Reproduction
  17m
30. Overview of Animals34m
- Overview of Animals
  34m
31. Invertebrates1h 2m
32. Vertebrates50m
33. Plant Anatomy1h 3m
34. Vascular Plant Transport1h 2m
- Water Potential
  1h 2m
35. Soil37m
- Soil and Nutrients
  20m
- Nitrogen Fixation
  16m
36. Plant Reproduction47m
- Flowers
  33m
- Seeds
  14m
37. Plant Sensation and Response1h 9m
38. Animal Form and Function1h 19m
39. Digestive System1h 10m
- Digestion
  1h 3m
- Blood Sugar Homeostasis
  7m
40. Circulatory System1h 49m
41. Immune System1h 12m
42. Osmoregulation and Excretion50m
- Osmoregulation and Excretion
  50m
43. Endocrine System1h 4m
- Endocrine System
  1h 4m
44. Animal Reproduction1h 2m
- Animal Reproduction
  1h 2m
45. Nervous System1h 55m
- Neurons and Action Potentials
  1h 8m
- Central and Peripheral Nervous System
  46m
46. Sensory Systems46m
- Sensory System
  46m
47. Muscle Systems23m
- Musculoskeletal System
  23m
48. Ecology3h 11m
49. Animal Behavior28m
- Animal Behavior
  28m
50. Population Ecology3h 41m
51. Community Ecology2h 46m
52. Ecosystems2h 36m
53. Conservation Biology24m
- Conservation Biology
  24m

30. Overview of Animals

Overview of Animals

General Biology

30. Overview of Animals

Overview of Animals

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0:31 minutes

Problem 3

Textbook Question

True or false?
New major animal body plans have continued to evolve since the Cambrian about 550 million years ago.

Verified step by step guidance

Understand the concept of 'animal body plans': Animal body plans refer to the basic structural and functional design of an organism, including its symmetry, segmentation, and limb arrangement.

Review the Cambrian Explosion: The Cambrian Explosion was a period approximately 541 million years ago when most major animal phyla appeared in the fossil record. It is known for the rapid diversification of life forms.

Consider the evolutionary process: Evolution is a continuous process, but the emergence of entirely new major body plans is rare. Most changes involve modifications of existing plans rather than the creation of new ones.

Examine the fossil record: The fossil record provides evidence of the diversity and changes in life forms over time. It can help determine if new major body plans have appeared since the Cambrian period.

Evaluate scientific consensus: Scientists generally agree that while evolution continues to modify existing body plans, the appearance of entirely new major body plans has not been observed since the Cambrian Explosion.

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Cambrian Explosion

The Cambrian Explosion refers to a period approximately 541 million years ago when most major animal phyla appeared in the fossil record. This event is characterized by a rapid diversification of life forms, leading to the establishment of complex body plans. Understanding this period is crucial for assessing the evolution of animal body plans.

Animal Body Plans

Animal body plans are the structural and functional designs of organisms, including symmetry, segmentation, and limb arrangement. These plans are established during embryonic development and are crucial for understanding evolutionary biology, as they determine the basic layout of an organism's anatomy.

Evolutionary Stasis

Evolutionary stasis refers to periods in which little evolutionary change occurs in organisms' body plans. After the Cambrian Explosion, many animal body plans have remained relatively unchanged, suggesting a stasis in major evolutionary innovations. This concept helps explain why new major body plans have not emerged since the Cambrian period.