1º eso. Natural sciences

1. UNIT 12:
VERTEBRATES

2. VERTEBRATES

3. 1. FISH
 Fish are aquatic vertebrates that can live in salt water
and fresh water.
 They have fins.
 The body is covered by scales.
 They breathe through gills.
 They have swim bladder. It’s a sac of gas to stay
afloat.
 TYPES OF FISH:
 Bony fish: They have a bony skeleton. Ex: Sardine, tuna,
hake.
 Cartilaginous fish: They have a cartilaginous skeleton.
Ex: Sharks, rays and manta rays.

4. PARTS OF A BONY FISH

6. ACTIVITIES
1.Which structure use a fish to breathe?
2.What is the main difference between
cartilaginous fish and bony fish?
3.What is the swim bladder?
4. Find three more examples of bony fish.

7. 2. AMPHIBIANS
 Amphibians are vertebrates capable of living in
terrestrial and humid environments.
 They usually have four limbs.
 They often have webbed feet.
 They are ectotherms.
 They breathe through lungs, gills and skin.
TYPES OF AMPHIBIANS:
 Anura: They don’t have a tail. Ex: Frog, toad.
 Urodela: They have a tail. Ex: Salamander, newt.

8. ACTIVITIES
1. What are the types of respiration
in amphibians?
2. What is the main difference
between a toad and a
salamander?

9. 3. REPTILES
 Reptiles are vertebrates animals which live on land, but
some live in water.
 They always have a tail.
 They have four limbs. (except snakes)
 The skin is covered by scales.
 They breathe through lungs.
 They are ectotherms.
TYPES OF REPTILES
 Turtles: They have caparace.
 Lizards: Ex: Iguanas, Chameleons
 Snakes: They don’t have legs. They are venemous.
 Crocodiles: They are the biggest reptiles.

10. ACTIVITIES
1. Which group of reptiles is leggless?
2.What reptile has a venemous bite?
3. What group of reptiles has a caparace?
4.What is the biggest living reptile?
5. Find six examples os reptiles.

12. 4. BIRDS
 Birds are flying vertebrates. They can live on the
ground or on water.
 They have two limbs called wings.
 They have hollow and light bones.
 They have a corneus beak.
 The body is covered with feathers.
 The lungs have some extensions called air sacs. The air
sacs help them to fly and breathe.
 They are endothermic.
TYPES OF BIRDS
 Carinatae: They have keel and flying muscles. Ex:
Gulls, goldfinches, falcons, sparrows, parrots, etc
 Ratites: They don’t have keel or flying muscles, and the
wings are atrophied. Ex: Ostrich, cassowary, rhea, emu.

14. ACTIVITIES
1. How can birds fly?
2. What are air sacs? What are they used for?
3.Find 3 more examples of carinatae and
ratites.
4. What are the main differences between
ratites and carinatae?

15. 5. MAMMALS
 They have four limbs adapted to fly,swim,run…
 The skin is covered by hair or fur.
 Most of them are viviparous.
 They are endothermal.
 They breathe through lungs.
 Females feed their babies through their mammary
glands.
TYPES OF MAMMALS
 Monotremes: They are oviparous. Ex: platypus, echidna.
 Marsupials: The babies develop inside the marsupium.
Ex: kangaroo, koala bear.
 Placental mammals: The embryo develops in the
mother’s uterus. Ex: cat, dog, human being.

17. VERTEBRATES
URODELA TURTLES CARINATAE MONOTREMES
ANURA LIZARDS RATITES MARSUPIALS
BONY
SNAKES PLACENTAL
CARTILAGINOUS
CROCODILES

18. ACTIVITIES
1. What is the main characteristic of
mammals that gives its name to the group?
2. State the main differences between
marsupial and placental mammals.
3. Name the groups in which vertebrates are
classified.
4. Define endothermal and ectothermal.

19. 5. Match each type of breathing with the animal:
a) Through lungs 1.Eagle
b) Through gills 2. Hake
c)Through the skin 3. Wall lizard
4.Tuna
5. Tadpole
6.Dolphin
7. Toad
6. Match each kind of vertebrate to its type of skin:
1.Mammals a) skin covered with feathers
2.Reptiles b) naked and wet skin
3.Birds c)skin covered by thick scales
4.Amphibians d) skin covered by thin scales
5.Fish e)skin covered with hair

20. 7. Complete the sentences with the following
words:
Feathers –wings- hair- fur- scales
a. Birds are the only animals that have
_____________________. They all have
__________________, but not all can fly.
b. Why do human have body ___________________?
c. A Polar bear has its body covered with
__________________to keep it warm.
d. Fish and reptiles have their body covered
with_______________________.