Pascolarctos Cinereus Lab Report
Emily Gurley
BIO 101
Lab Report
Professor Jun
I. Introduction:
a. Phascolarctos cinereus is the scientific name of the organism I have chosen for my lab report.
b. The common name in which individuals recognize this particular organism is known as the koala bear.
c. Kingdom: Animal
Phylum: Vertibrata
Class: Mammalia
Sub-Class: Marsupialia
Order: Diprotodontia
Sub-Order: Vombatiformes
Infra order: Phascolarctomorphia
Family: Phascolarctidae
Genus: Phascolarctos Cinereus
d. Looking at the mammalia class, some of the common characterics organisms within the class have are being endothermic with high metabolism and having hair and mammary glands. The mammary glands are used to produce milk for their young and the hair is used as insulation helping …show more content…
maintain a warm internal body temperature.
II. Nutritional Strategy: Koala bears are widely known for their attraction to eucalyptus leaves. Being herbivores and very fussy eaters, Koalas use their wonderful sense of smell to determine the best tasting leaves on a particular tree. There are over 600 types of eucalyptus leaves, but koalas usually limit their diets to two or three different types. Koala bears have a unique bacteria in their stomach that actually breaks down the fiber and toxic oils that are in eucalyptus leaves, which later allows the koala bears to absorb at least 25% of the nutrients in the leaves.
Since koalas have a very low calorie diet, they save all their energy by taking very slow movements and spending most of their time sleeping.
III. Defense: Koalas are able to defend themselves from potential predators by spending the majority of their time up high in trees. Koalas have sharp claws, a strong grip, and rough pads on their hands and feet which make life in these high trees easy for koala bears. If a koala felt as if it was in trouble, it also has two opposable thumbs so that they can cling to branches and even leap from branch to branch to escape the situation. An example of a mutualism in a koala bear is the bacteria in the koalas stomach. This bacteria allows koala bears to get their food without dying from the poison in the leaves. An example of commensalism is the relationship between the koala bear and the eucalyptus tree. The koala bear uses the tree for shelter, and a place to hide from predators. Commensalism is present due to the koala bear benefitting from the tree and the eucalyptus tree is a neutral …show more content…
factor.
IV. Biome: The koala bear lives in Eastern Australia and range from northern Queensland to southwestern Victoria. Koalas have also been introduced to Western Australia and some nearby islands. Koalas can be found in terrestrial biomes, or better known as forests. Being arboreal, Koalas spend most of their time in the branches of the eucalyptus trees. Here, they are able to feed themselves and stay out of the reach of their predators.
V.
Adaptations: Living in forests, Koalas are about to survive due to numerous adaptations. One interesting adaptation a female koala has is the usage of marsupials, or pouches on their bellies. These pouches help to raise their young while living atop trees. Another adaptation koalas have is the thick fur which covers their bodies. This thick fur makes living in trees much more comfortable. When looking at other parts of the koala bear, the tail end of its body is covered with more fur than the rest, giving a cushioning effect while sitting on branches. Koala bears also have a curved spine. This curved spine also works towards making sitting on tree branches a more comfortable
experience.
VI. Reproduction: Although male and female koalas are both sexually mature at the age of two years old, male koalas do not usually mate until they reach the age of four due to the female koala’s larger size. Male and females attract one another for mating using deep calls and putting off scents. Males usually initiate mating, and will have to wait for the female to respond. Female koalas usually bred once every year with litter sizes that generally consist of only young being born. The young usually weigh less than 0.5 grams when born, and will automatically spend 5-7 months feeding on milk in their mother’s pouch. At about seven months old, the young begins to reach the end of their pouch life. It is during this time that the young begins to feed on leaves and is carried on the back of their mother.
Works Cited
(n.d.). Retrieved December 1, 2015, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Koala
Arnold, C., & Hewett, R. (1987). Koala. New York: W. Morrow.
Koala Information. (n.d.). Retrieved December 1, 2015, from http://koalas.org/koala-info.html
Koala Reproduction. (n.d.). Retrieved December 1, 2015, from http://www.koalaworlds.com/koala-reproduction/
PetSetter - Pets news Photos and More. (n.d.). Retrieved December 1, 2015, from http://www.petsetter.com/koala-bear-adaptations/
Phascolarctos cinereus (koala). (n.d.). Retrieved December 1, 2015, from http://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Phascolarctos_cinereus/
Pyers, G. (2005). Koala. Port Melbourne, Vic.: Echidna Books.
BIO 101
Lab Report
Professor Jun
I. Introduction:
a. Phascolarctos cinereus is the scientific name of the organism I have chosen for my lab report.
b. The common name in which individuals recognize this particular organism is known as the koala bear.
c. Kingdom: Animal
Phylum: Vertibrata
Class: Mammalia
Sub-Class: Marsupialia
Order: Diprotodontia
Sub-Order: Vombatiformes
Infra order: Phascolarctomorphia
Family: Phascolarctidae
Genus: Phascolarctos Cinereus
d. Looking at the mammalia class, some of the common characterics organisms within the class have are being endothermic with high metabolism and having hair and mammary glands. The mammary glands are used to produce milk for their young and the hair is used as insulation helping …show more content…
maintain a warm internal body temperature.
II. Nutritional Strategy: Koala bears are widely known for their attraction to eucalyptus leaves. Being herbivores and very fussy eaters, Koalas use their wonderful sense of smell to determine the best tasting leaves on a particular tree. There are over 600 types of eucalyptus leaves, but koalas usually limit their diets to two or three different types. Koala bears have a unique bacteria in their stomach that actually breaks down the fiber and toxic oils that are in eucalyptus leaves, which later allows the koala bears to absorb at least 25% of the nutrients in the leaves.
Since koalas have a very low calorie diet, they save all their energy by taking very slow movements and spending most of their time sleeping.
III. Defense: Koalas are able to defend themselves from potential predators by spending the majority of their time up high in trees. Koalas have sharp claws, a strong grip, and rough pads on their hands and feet which make life in these high trees easy for koala bears. If a koala felt as if it was in trouble, it also has two opposable thumbs so that they can cling to branches and even leap from branch to branch to escape the situation. An example of a mutualism in a koala bear is the bacteria in the koalas stomach. This bacteria allows koala bears to get their food without dying from the poison in the leaves. An example of commensalism is the relationship between the koala bear and the eucalyptus tree. The koala bear uses the tree for shelter, and a place to hide from predators. Commensalism is present due to the koala bear benefitting from the tree and the eucalyptus tree is a neutral …show more content…
factor.
IV. Biome: The koala bear lives in Eastern Australia and range from northern Queensland to southwestern Victoria. Koalas have also been introduced to Western Australia and some nearby islands. Koalas can be found in terrestrial biomes, or better known as forests. Being arboreal, Koalas spend most of their time in the branches of the eucalyptus trees. Here, they are able to feed themselves and stay out of the reach of their predators.
V.
Adaptations: Living in forests, Koalas are about to survive due to numerous adaptations. One interesting adaptation a female koala has is the usage of marsupials, or pouches on their bellies. These pouches help to raise their young while living atop trees. Another adaptation koalas have is the thick fur which covers their bodies. This thick fur makes living in trees much more comfortable. When looking at other parts of the koala bear, the tail end of its body is covered with more fur than the rest, giving a cushioning effect while sitting on branches. Koala bears also have a curved spine. This curved spine also works towards making sitting on tree branches a more comfortable
experience.
VI. Reproduction: Although male and female koalas are both sexually mature at the age of two years old, male koalas do not usually mate until they reach the age of four due to the female koala’s larger size. Male and females attract one another for mating using deep calls and putting off scents. Males usually initiate mating, and will have to wait for the female to respond. Female koalas usually bred once every year with litter sizes that generally consist of only young being born. The young usually weigh less than 0.5 grams when born, and will automatically spend 5-7 months feeding on milk in their mother’s pouch. At about seven months old, the young begins to reach the end of their pouch life. It is during this time that the young begins to feed on leaves and is carried on the back of their mother.
Works Cited
(n.d.). Retrieved December 1, 2015, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Koala
Arnold, C., & Hewett, R. (1987). Koala. New York: W. Morrow.
Koala Information. (n.d.). Retrieved December 1, 2015, from http://koalas.org/koala-info.html
Koala Reproduction. (n.d.). Retrieved December 1, 2015, from http://www.koalaworlds.com/koala-reproduction/
PetSetter - Pets news Photos and More. (n.d.). Retrieved December 1, 2015, from http://www.petsetter.com/koala-bear-adaptations/
Phascolarctos cinereus (koala). (n.d.). Retrieved December 1, 2015, from http://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Phascolarctos_cinereus/
Pyers, G. (2005). Koala. Port Melbourne, Vic.: Echidna Books.