KEY CONCEPT All vertebrates share common characteristics.

The phylum Chordata contains all vertebrates and some invertebrates. Chordates share four features at some stage of development. notochord hollow nerve cord pharyngeal slits tail hollow nerve cord tail notochord pharyngeal slits

Most chordates lose some or all of these characteristics in adulthood. hollow nerve cord tail notochord pharyngeal slits

All vertebrates share common features. An endoskeleton allows vertebrates to grow to large sizes. internal made of bone or cartilage

An endoskeleton can be divided into four parts. braincase (cranium) braincase vertebrae bones gill arches (in fish and some amphibians) vertebrae bones

There are seven classes of vertebrates. Agnatha are jawless fish. Cartilaginous and bony fish are characterized by the presence of jaws. Amphibians are characterized by the presence of four limbs. Reptiles, birds, and mammals are characterized by the presence of an amnion. Birds are characterized by the presence of feathers. Mammals are characterized by the presence of hair.

Agnatha Chondrichthyes Osteichthyes Amphibia Aves Mammalia JAWS Jaws helped vertebrates to become successful predators. VERTEBRAE Vertebrates have a segmented backbone. FOUR LIMBS Four limbs let animals move from the water to life on land. FEATHERS Feathers insulate birds from the cold and allow for flight. HAIR Hair helps mammals to maintain constant body temperatures by roviding insulation from the cold. lamprey cartilaginous fish bony fish amphibians birds mammals

Fossil evidence sheds light on the origins of vertebrates. Tunicates may be the closest relatives to vertebrates. The first recognizable vertebrates were jawless fish. Two groups of jawless fish still exist today. lampreys hagfish