Science Grade 5 Vertebrates Characteristics

1. Vertebrates or Invertebrates
We divide the animal Kingdom into two groups:
Vertebrates are animals with a backbone inside their bodies.
Fish, dogs and humans are examples of vertebrates.

2. Vertebrates or Invertebrates
Invertebrates do not have a
skeleton. Some examples of
these are spiders, flies and
caterpillars.
Vertebrates are often larger
and have more complex
bodies than invertebrates.
However, there are many
more invertebrates than
vertebrates.

3. Cold-blooded vertebrates depend on their surroundings to keep
their body temperature. When there is no sun, and the air is cold,
the animal gets cold. When it is sunny and hot, the animal gets
hot, and generally more active.
Vertebrates

4. Vertebrates
• Warm-blooded vertebrates are types of animals that regulate
their own body temperature and they normally have layers of fat,
feathers or fur. Mammals and birds are warm-blooded.

5. Vertebrate classes
Class Main features Examples
amphibians moist permeable skin frog, newt, salamander
fish gills, wet scales goldfish, shark, cod
reptiles dry scales crocodile, lizard, snake
birds feathers, beaks
budgerigar, sparrow,
ostrich
mammals fur, produce milk
rabbit, kangaroo,
human, dolphin

6. Fish
• Fish breathe through gills,
and live in water.
• They have scales and fins.
• Most are cold-blooded and
lay eggs (sharks are fish, but
they give birth to live
young).

7. • Amphibians are cold-
blooded and live in water as
tadpoles (breathing through
gills) and on land as adults
(breathing with lungs).
• The main types of
amphibians are frogs and
toads, and salamanders.
Amphibians

8. • Reptiles are cold-blooded and breathe with
lungs. They have scales, and most lay eggs.
• Reptiles include snakes, turtles and tortoises,
crocodiles and alligators, and lizards.
• Dinosaurs were reptiles, although some
scientists believe that some were warm
blooded.
• Reptiles are more common in the tropics
than in warm regions and are not found in
polar areas.
Reptiles

9. Birds
•Birds are warm-blooded
animals with feathers and wings.
• They lay eggs, and most
can fly (although many,
including penguins and
ostriches, can’t fly).
• Because birds are warm-
blooded, their eggs have to be
incubated to keep the embryos
inside warm, or they will perish.

10. Mammals
• Mammals are warm-
blooded, and are nourished by
their mothers’ milk; most are
born live (however, the
platypus lays eggs).
• Most mammals also have
body hair.
•We, humans, are mammals
too.