1. Table of Contents What Is a Vertebrate? Fishes Amphibians Reptiles
Vertebrate History in Rocks

2. Table of Contents
Birds
The Physics of Flight
Mammals

3. The Animal Kingdom Chapters 3 and 4: Vertebrates

4. Phylum Chordata
All chordates have the following three characteristics at some time in their lives:
1. Notochord: soft, flexible rod of cartilage.
It develops into the vertebrae in most
chordates.
2. Nerve cord: develops into the brain and
spinal cord.
3. Gill slits: paired openings in the throat.
Develop into gills in some chordates.

5. This lancelet shows the characteristics of a chordate: a notochord, a nerve cord down its back, and gill slits.
Notochord
Nerve cord
Gill Slits

6. The notochord is replaced by bone or cartilage.
Vertebrates
Most chordates are also known as vertebrates.
The notochord is replaced by bone or cartilage.
They have a complete endoskeleton made of bone or cartilage.

7. Ectothermic Vertebrates
Some vertebrates are ectothermic (cold-blooded)—this means their body does not produce internal heat. Their body temperature changes with the temperature of the environment. Fish, amphibians and reptiles are ectotherms.

8. Endothermic Vertebrates
Other vertebrates are endothermic (warm-blooded)—this means they regulate their own temperature by producing internal heat. Birds and mammals are endotherms.

9. 7 Classes of Vertebrates
Class Agnatha—jawless fish
Class Chondrichthyes—cartilage fish
Class Osteichthyes—bony fish
Class Amphibia—amphibians
Class Reptilia—reptiles
Class Aves—birds
Class Mammalia—mammals

10. Fish All live in water and breath through gills.
- Fishes
Fish
All live in water and breath through gills.
All have a 2-chambered heart.
All are ectothermic.
Most have fins and scales.
30,000 different species classified into three classes: Agnatha, Chondrichthyes, and Osteichthyes.

11. Class Agnatha: Jawless fish
- Fishes
Class Agnatha: Jawless fish
Simplest of all fish.
No jaws, scales or paired fins.
Cartilage skeletons with sucker-shaped mouths.
Some are external parasites; others are scavengers.
Include two species: Lamprey and Hagfish

12. Lamprey External parasites that live in fresh water.
- Fishes
Lamprey
External parasites that live in fresh water.
Use their sucker-shaped
mouths to attach to the bodies of other fish.

13. A very successful scavenger of cold-water
- Fishes
Hagfish
A very successful scavenger of cold-water
oceans. It is totally blind and produces a
lubricating slime through glands in its skin.

14. Class Chondrichthyes: Cartilage Fish
- Fishes
Class Chondrichthyes: Cartilage Fish
All have cartilage skeletons—no bones.
All have jaws, scales and paired fins.
Uncovered (naked) gills.
Placoid (toothlike) scales—embedded in skin.
Most live in salt water.
Examples: Sharks, skates
and rays.

15. - Fishes
Sharks, Skates and Rays
Skates lay eggs in egg cases while rays bear live young.
Tiger Shark
Notice the rows of replaceable teeth and the
movable upper jaw.
Sting Ray with poisonous spine.

16. Class Osteichthyes: Bony Fish
- Fishes
Class Osteichthyes: Bony Fish
Inflatable Fish
Video Clip
All have skeletons made of bone.
All have jaws, scales and paired fins.
Gills covered by a bony flap called an operculum.
Swim bladder helps it to swim without sinking.
Some live in fresh water, others in salt water.
95% of all fish belong to this class.

17. - Fishes
Bony Fishes

18. Class Amphibia: Frogs, Toads, Salamanders and Newts
Amphibios—means double life.
All amphibians breathe through gills as larva and through simple, sac-like lungs as adults. Some respiration also occurs through the skin.
All have a three-chambered heart.
All have moist, smooth skin with no scales.
All are ectothermic
Many hibernate during winter and estivate during hot, dry summers.

19. Amphibian Metamorphosis
Eggs
Larva (tadpole)
Adult:
mature
young
The length of time spent as a larva depends on the
species, the water temperature, and the availability
of food. However, for most species, the entire process
is accomplished in 12 to 14 weeks.

20. Frogs and Toads Both have short, broad bodies with no neck or tail.
Their back legs are larger than their front legs.
Water
Holding
Frog
Video
American Toad
Southern Leopard Frog
Family: Bufonidae
Skin: warty and dry
Back legs: short for walking
Lay eggs in long chains
Poison glands behind eyes
Family: Ranidae
Skin: smooth and slimy
Back legs: adapted for jumping
Lay eggs in clusters

21. Salamanders and Newts
Long, slender bodies with short legs and a long tail.
Newts are actually small salamanders.

22. Biological Indicators
Biological Indicator—species whose overall health reflects the health of their particular ecosystem.
Amphibians are good biological indicators.
They are sensitive to chemical and environmental changes.
Their decline is often the first sign that an area is being polluted.
Amphibian populations are on the decline, worldwide. Scientists believe the depletion of ozone is the main reason.

23. Frog Mutations

24. Class Reptilia: Turtles, Alligators, Lizards, Snakes
Reptiles are well suited for life on land:
Dry, scaly waterproof skin conserves water. Many molt their skin as they grow.
Breathe through lungs their entire life.
Internal fertilization
Lay amniotic eggs (egg with a built-in food source and a protective shell). This keeps the embryo from drying out. The shell is leathery.

25. Adaptations for Life on Land
- Reptiles
Adaptations for Life on Land
The membranes and shell of an amniotic egg protect the developing embryo.

26. Turtles and Tortoises
All are covered by a hard shell on both top and bottom.
Painted Turtle
Galapagos Tortoise
Prefer dry land environments
Herbivores
High, domed shells
Prefer watery environments
Ominvores
Flat shells
Green Sea Turtle
Leave the ocean only to lay eggs
Herbivores or Omnivores
Can stay underwater for 3 weeks
Legs are paddle-like

27. Alligators Crocodiles Large reptiles found mostly in tropical climates.
Both upper and lower teeth
show when mouth is closed.
Only upper teeth show when
mouth is closed.
Broad head with rounded snout
Narrow head with pointed snout

28. Lizards and Snakes
Both lizards and snakes belong to the same and largest order of reptiles.
About 3,000 species of lizards and 2,700 species of snakes exist.
They are distinguished from each other by the fact that snakes lack arms, legs, ears and eyelids. (There are a few species of legless lizards).
“Freaky” Lizard
Video Clip

29. Extinct Reptiles
Dinosaurs ruled for 160 million years during the Mesozoic Era.
They went extinct 65 million years ago.
They are different from other reptiles because they walked like birds and mammals with their legs straight under them rather than out to the sides.
Many scientists believe they are more closely related to birds than to modern reptiles.

30. - Birds
Class Aves Birds
Endothermic vertebrates with a normal body temperature of degrees.
Have many unique characteristics related to their ability to fly.

31. - Birds
1. Feathers (3 types)
Contour Feathers —cover the wings and body to streamline the bird for flight
Down Feathers —soft, fluffy and close to the body to keep the bird warm
Flight Feathers —located on the wings and tail to create “lift” when flying

32. - Birds
Feather Structure
Feathers are held together and in place by a hollow tube called the shaft. The shaft is made of a very hard material called keratin.

33. Click the Video button to watch a movie about lift.
- The Physics of Flight
Lift
Click the Video button to watch a movie about lift.

34. Thin, hollow bones make a bird’s skeleton light weight.
2. Skeletal System
Thin, hollow bones make a bird’s skeleton light weight.
Many are fused together for extra support.

35. - Birds
3. Digestive System
Extremely efficient and fast. Some birds digest a meal in less than one hour. This provides the energy needed for flight.
Must eat often.
Crop stores food.
Gizzard, grinds food (birds have no teeth).

36. Birds do not store liquid wastes (too heavy)
4. Excretory System
Birds do not store liquid wastes (too heavy)
Instead they filter highly concentrated uric acid from the blood and eliminate it along with the solid wastes through one opening called the cloaca.

37. Must be able to get oxygen from air at high altitudes.
- Birds
5. Respiratory System
Must be able to get oxygen from air at high altitudes.
Using air sacs attached to their lungs, birds can get oxygen both when they inhale and when they exhale.
Air sacs also make the bird lighter.
Above is a simplified diagram of the bird respiratory system. The actual lung itself is the small, thin part between the two larger air sacs. As air passes through, oxygen is removed. In real life, air is continually passed through the lungs, but this diagram only shows one breath as it travels through the bird.

38. - Birds
6. Circulatory System
All birds have a four chambered heart to keep the oxygen-rich blood separate from the oxygen-poor blood.
Heart beats rapidly (more than 1000 beats per minute) for rapid circulation.

39. Respiration and Circulation Activity
- Birds
Respiration and Circulation Activity
Click the Active Art button to open a browser window and access Active Art about respiration and circulation.

40. Two methods for rearing young:
- Birds
7. Reproductive System
Birds use internal fertilization and produce amniotic, hard-shelled eggs.
Two methods for rearing young:
Large clutch (many eggs)—young are well developed and active when born: ducks and quails.
Small clutch (few eggs)—young are blind and helpless when born: robin and eagle

41. Class Mammalia Endothermic animals with hair or blubber to keep warm.
Reproduce sexually and produce milk through mammary glands to feed their young.
Four-chambered heart.
Breathing is aided by the diaphragm.

42. Three Sub-classes (based on how their young develop)
1. Monotremes—egg-laying mammals. Examples: duck-billed platypus and the echidna.
Echidna
Platypus

43. 2. Marsupials—pouched mammals.
Young are born premature and continue their development in the mother’s pouch. Examples: kangaroo, opossum, koala and wombat.
Koala
Red Kangaroo

44. 3. Placental Mammals—young develop inside the mother’s uterus and are nourished by a placenta. Examples: all other mammals.

45. Orders of Mammals Order Monotremata—platypus and
echidna: egg laying mammals
Order Marsupialia—pouched mammals:
young born premature and continue development in their mother’s pouch

46. Order Chiroptera—bats: flying mammals
Order Insectivora—moles and
shrews: eat insects, burrow in ground.
Order Lagomorpha—rabbits: long ears,
two pair of front teeth, long hind legs
Order Rodentia—rodents: chisel-like teeth for gnawing. Largest order

47. Order Carnivora—meat eaters: large
canine teeth and sharp claws
Order Primates—chimps, monkeys, apes humans: opposable thumbs, rotating forearms, flexible shoulders,binocular vision
Order Dermoptera—flying lemurs:
skin wings that allows them to glide,
unrelated to other lemurs (primates)

48. Order Perrisodactyla—horses,
rhinos, and tapirs: odd-toed
hoofed mammals
Order Artiodactyla—deer, antelope,
moose, elk, etc: even-toed hoofed mammals
Order Hyracoidea—hyraxes: rodent-looking mammals with hoofs and large incisors used only for defense
Order Proboscidea—Asian and African elephants: trunked

49. Order Tubulidentata—aardvarks: toothless, hoofed mammals
Order Edentata—anteaters, armadillos and sloths:toothless (nearly toothless mammals) Anteaters are the only completely toothless members of this group
Order Pholidota—pangolins (spiny anteaters): bodies are covered by scaly plates

50. Order Pinnipedia—seals, seal lions, and walruses: marine mammals that leave the water regularly. Eat fish.
Order Cetacea—dolphins, whales and porpoises: marine mammals that do not leave the water. Breath through blow-hole
Order Sirenia—manatees and dugongs: marine mammals that stay in water. Eat aquatic plants and breath through nostrils