Male birds and fish tend to have brighter colors than females, which are usually dull brown, in order to attract mates. Some vertebrates like sea lampreys feed by boring holes in other animals and consuming their blood and tissues, rather than ingesting food. The bonobo and earliest known bird, Archaeopteryx, were vertebrates that shared characteristics with both birds and non-birds. Vertebrates range greatly in size, from the world's largest animal, the blue whale, to the smallest fish, only 8.4 mm in length.

1. Vertebrates Interesting Facts

2. In most birds, males and females can be easily distinguished. The males are generally much more colorful than the females. The males use their colors to try to attract mates. The females are generally dull brown colors. http://www.flickr.com/photos/chorwedel/5661149028/ Female Peacock http://www.flickr.com/photos/burningbracelets/6180632909/ Male Peacock

3. Instead of ingesting food, some vertebrates feed off of the tissues of their prey. Sea Lampreys use their mouth and tongue to bore a hole in the side of a fish and ingest the blood and tissue. http://www.flickr.com/photos/emsef/2331177860/ The mouth of a Sea Lamprey

4. Bonobos, similar to Chimpanzees, can only be found in the Congo in Africa. http://www.flickr.com/photos/graphicreality/4512176156/

5. The earliest known bird was the Archaeopteryx. It seemed to be capable of flight, but still retained many characteristics of nonbirds. http://www.flickr.com/photos/14646075@N03/3935233154/ Archaeopteryx fossil

6. There are approximately 52,000 species of vertebrates.

7. Vertebrates include the largest animal ever to exist on the planet. Blue Whales can exceed a mass of 100,000 kilograms.

8. A fish discovered in 2004 is just 8.4 mm long. It’s mass is roughly 100 billion times smaller than that of a blue whale

9. An early gnathostome, called a Dunkleosteus, grew up to 10 meters in length. It is thought that it could exert a force of 8,000 PSI at the tip of its jaws. http://www.flickr.com/photos/baggis/5040125114/

10. Monotremes are the only mammals that lay eggs. They are only found in Australia and New Guinea. They include only one species of platypus and four species of echidnas. http://www.flickr.com/photos/couchy/4287853248/ The Duck-Billed Platypus of Australia

11. About 95% of fish have skeletons made of bone. These fish are called “bony fish.” http://www.flickr.com/photos/tarasutherland/5160563320/ Clown Fish