Welcome to our biology word list starting with the letter J, where you’ll discover jargon like “juvenile” and “Jacobson’s organ.
- Jellyfish- A free-swimming marine coelenterate with a jelly-like, bell- or saucer-shaped body.
- Jugular- Relating to the throat or neck, especially one of the large veins in that area.
- Joint- The location at which two or more bones make contact.
- Juvenile- Pertaining to a young organism, especially one that has not yet reached maturity.
- Jaundice- A medical condition with yellowing of the skin or eyes due to bile pigment.
- Jejunum- The part of the small intestine between the duodenum and ileum.
- Jowl- The lower part of a person’s or animal’s cheek.
- Jacal- Pre-Columbian habitat structures built by indigenous peoples in Mesoamerica.
- Jacob’s Ladder- Various climbing plants with ladder-like leaves; also used to refer to a biochemical cycle.
- Juglone- A chemical compound found in the black walnut tree, toxic to many other plants.
- Jackrabbit- A species of hare that is large, leporids found in North America.
- Jumping Gene- A segment of DNA that can move around to different positions within the genome.
- Jacobson’s Organ- Also called vomeronasal organ, used by animals to detect pheromones.
- Jaw- The upper and lower bony structures in vertebrates forming the framework of the mouth.
- Jukebox Gene- Genes that can turn on or off in response to environmental factors.
- Jerboa- Small desert rodents with long hind legs enabling them to leap great distances.
- Jowl- Facial structure constituting the jaw or the area below the cheeks.
- Jugal- A bone on the side of the skull in animals, often part of the cheek.
- Jelly Layer- The gelatinous coating surrounding some eggs, especially those of amphibians and marine organisms.
- Jacobin Cuckoo- A member of the cuckoo family known to lay its eggs in the nests of other birds (brood parasitism).