AFRICAN CRESTED PORCUPINE

HEADER: Introduction

• Common Name: African Crested Porcupine

• Scientific Name: Hystrix cristata

• Rose Dawidowicz
• Period 3

TOPIC 1: Basic Information

• Mammalia 
• 23-37 in (60-93 cm) 22.1-66.1 lb (60-93 kg)
• forest, rocky areas, deserts
• Their predators include lions, hyenas, leopards and birds of prey
• Endangered Status: Least concern

TOPIC2: Information about an Organ System

• The respiratory system enables the organism to convert oxygen into carbon dioxide, which provides the necessary components to perform various bodily functions. 
• The respiratory tract consists of the nasal cavities, the pharynx, the larynx, the trachea, the bronchi and the lungs
• The lungs may be filled and emptied by alternate movements of the sternum towards and away from the vertebral column.
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TOPIC 3: Information about an Organ

• Bronchi are either of the two main branches of the trachea, leading directly to the lungs.
• The outermost is made of dense fibrous tissue, reinforced with cartilage. The middle layer is a network of smooth muscle. The innermost layer consists of ciliated mucous membrane.
• The porcupine uses its muscles and rib cage to contract and expand the bronchi.
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TOPIC 4: Information about a Tissue

• The epithelial tissue consists of closely packed, flattened cells that make up the inside or outside lining of body areas.
• Squamous cells, Cuboidal cells, Columnar cells, and Transitional cells.
• The tissue is avascular, meaning without blood vessels. Nutrient and waste exchange occurs through neighboring connective tissues by diffusion.

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TOPIC 5: Information about a Cell

• Columnar cells are tall with an oval nucleus near the basement membrane. These thick cells serve to protect underlying tissues or may function to absorb substances. Some have microvilli, minute surface extensions, to increase surface area for absorbing substances, while others may have cilia that help move substances over their surface.
• When food or other substances are ingested, these cells respond, they are found in the inner lining of the intestine. They secrete digestive enzymes and absorb digested food. Columnar cells are important in absorption and movement of mucus.
• They are one of the three main types of epithelial cells, the others are: Squamous cells which are thin and flat, cuboidal cells which are cubical to round, and finally columnar cells which are tall and cylindrical.
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WORKS CITED

• African Crested Porcupine - The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore. (n.d.). Retrieved November 12, 2014.
• Epithelial Tissue. (n.d.). Retrieved November 20, 2014, from http://www.cliffsnotes.com/sciences/anatomy-and-physiology/tissues/epithelial-tissue
• Respiratory system - Encyclopedia. (n.d.). Retrieved November 20, 2014, from http://www.theodora.com/encyclopedia/r/respiratory_system.html
• Porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum Linnaeus). (n.d.). Retrieved November 20, 2014, from http://www.esf.edu/aec/adks/mammals/porcupine.htm