BiologyCoachOnlineBlog

Your hyoid bone is a small U-shaped bone in your neck--between your mandible (or lower jaw bone) and larynx (or Adam's apple)--that does not articulate with (is not connected to) any other bone in your body. The hyoid bone is suspended in your neck by ligaments and it is positioned such that it provides attachment for muscles of the floor of the mouth, the tongue, the larynx, the pharynx, and the epiglottis. The hyoid bone is important in speech, swallowing, and breathing. In fact it i...

Last week's #MysteryCreature was the Okapi (Okapia johnstoni).

The okapi is endemic to the tropical forests of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (in Central Africa). Okapi (with their stripes) resemble zebras. However, they are most closely related to the giraffe. In fact, the okapi and the giraffe are the only extent members of the family Giraffidae. The okapi stands nearly five-feet (1.5 m) at the shoulder. Average body length of about eight-feet (2.5 m)...

Last week's #MysteryCreature was the Frilled-neck Lizard (Chlamydosaurus kingii).

Chlamydosaurus kingii is the only member of the genus Chlamydosaurus and is found mainly in northern Australia and southern New Guinea. C. kingii is a relatively large lizard with an average length of about 32-inches (85cm). As its common name suggests, the frilled-neck lizard has a large frill around its neck (which the lizard usually keeps folded and against its body). C. kingii is predominantly arboreal...

The spinal cord is a long, thin, tubular bundle of nervous tissue that extends from the medulla oblongata in the brainstem to the lumbar region of the vertebral column. [The vertebral column (i.e. "backbone") surrounds and protects the spinal cord.] The brain and spinal cord together make up the central nervous system (CNS).

The spinal cord functions primarily in the transmission of neural signals between the brain and the rest of the body. That is, the spinal cord carries sensory impul...

Last week's #MysteryCreature was the Greater Blue-ringed Octopus (Hapalochlaena lunulata).

Despite its common name Hapalochlaena lunulata is a comparatively diminutive mollusk: 4-inches (10cm) from arm to arm. [The term "greater" refers to the diameter of its rings: around 8-millimeters, much larger than those of other species in the genus.] The greater blue-ringed octopus abundant in the warm tropical and subtropical waters of the Indo-West Pacific. H. lunulata

Taste buds are microscopic structures located on the papillae of your tongue. The papillae are the macroscopic structures that give the surface of your tongue its fuzzy appearance. Taste buds contain taste receptor cells (i.e. gustatory cells) that are responsible for your perception of the five primary tastes. Namely salty, sour, bitter, sweet and umami. [Your detection of "flavors" is due to the combination of two or more of these primary tastes.] The five taste-chemicals mix with saliva to...

The uterus (or womb) is a major female reproductive sex of most mammals. The uterus is located within the pelvic region just behind and above the bladder. The uterus is pear-shaped and is about 3.0 inches (7.6 cm) long. The uterus opens into the vagina on one end and is attached (via the fallopian tubes) to the ovaries on the other end. During pregnancy, the developing embryo (the blastocyst) is implanted (attached) to the inner wall (the endometrium) of the uterus. The fetus will develop her...

The arrector pili muscles are small muscles attached to hair follicles in mammals. Contraction of these muscles causes the hairs to stand on end (i.e. "goose bumps"). Arrector pili muscles are composed of small bundles of smooth muscle fibres. These tiny muscle bundles are innervated by the sympathetic branch of the autonomic nervous system. Thus, the contraction of the muscle is involuntary. Factors such as cold or fear often stimulate the sympathetic nervous system thereby causing contracti...

The prostate is an exocrine gland of the male reproductive system. The prostate contains smooth muscles that help expel semen during ejaculation. Secretions of the prostate constitute about 30% of the volume of semen. Prostate secretions are slightly alkaline which helps neutralize the acidity of the vaginal tract thus prolonging the lifespan of sperm. The prostatic fluid is expelled in the first ejaculate fractions together with most of the spermatozoa. Sperm expe...

The gastrula is the structure resulting from the phase of early embryonic development known as gastrulation. Gastrulation is the process whereby the blastula - which is a hollow "ball" made up of a single layer of cells - folds inward and enlarges forming the elongated structure (open at one end) pictured here. The gastrula is composed of three (germ) cell layers: ectoderm, mesoderm, and endoderm. The opening, known as the blastopore, opens to the archentero...