Vertebrates are a subphylum of chordates with backbones. They are classified into groups including fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals. Key characteristics include skulls, vertebrae enclosing the spinal cord, and paired limbs in many land-dwelling forms. Vertebrates display a wide diversity of adaptations for locomotion, nutrition, and reproduction in various environments.

1. VERTEBRATES
CAMPBELL AND REEECE
CHAPTER 34

2. INTRODUCTION
VERTERBRATES:
• Derived from the name vertebrae ; a series of bones that
make up the vertebral column, or backbone.
• Comprises of any species of animals within the subphylum
vertebrata.
• Vertebrates are part of the phylum CHORDATA.
• Diversify into birds, amphibians, fish, reptiles, and
mammals
• 52 000-64 000 species
• These species have a more complex nervous system and
elaborate skeleton.

3. GENERAL CHARCTERISTICS
OF VERTEBRATES
• More extensive skull
• Backbone composed of vertebrae
• Vertebrae encloses the spinal cord .
• Aquatic vertebrates also acquire dorsal ventral anal fins
and stiffened by fins rays which provide thrust and
streering control when swimming away from predators.
• Faster swimmmers
• More efficient gas exchange system in the gills.

4. • Bilateral symmetrical
• Well developed sense organs (EYES,EARS,NOSTRILS)
located on the head.(CEPHALIZATION)
• Respiratory system are located closely to the pharynx or
throat.
• Reproductive organs and excretory systems are closely
related .
• .

5. HOW ARE VERTEBRATES CLASSIFIED?
• Vertebrates are classified according to their :
• Skin covering
• Manner of reproduction
• How they maintain their body temperature
• Characteristics of their Limbs

6. CLASSIFICATION OF
VERTEBRATES
CLASSIFICATIONS EXAMPLES
CEPHALASPIDOMORPHA LAMPREYS
CHONDRICHTHYES CARTILAGENOUS FISHES
OSTEICHTHYES BONY FISHES
AMPHIBIA FROGS/TOADS/SALAMANDERS
REPTILIA TURTLES/SHARKS/LIZARDS/CROCODILES
AVES BIRDS
MAMMILIA MAMMALS

7. LAMPREYS (PETROMYZON MARINUS)
• Oldest living lineage of vertebrates.
• 35 species of lampreys inhabiting various marine and freshwater environments.

8. LAMPREYS (PETROMYZON MARINUS)
• Structure
• The skeletons of Lampreys is made of cartilage that does not contain any collagen instead contains
a stiff protein matrix.
• Habitat
• They inhabit various marine and freshwater environments, this is determined by where they
migrate in their mature stages of adulthood.
• Locomotion
• Since the sea lamprey is a vertebrate will use its acquired dorsal, ventral and anal fins stiffened by
fin rays to assist in pushing and controlling the body to swim.
• Nutrition
• Most can be classified as parasites that feed clamping their round jawless mouth onto the flank of
live fish. They will then proceed by using their rasping tongue to penetrate the skin of the fish and
ingest the fish’s blood.

9. CHONDRICHTHAYES/CARTILAGENOUS FISHES
• SHARKS ,RAYS,AND THEIR RELATIVES(BIGGEST AND SUCCESSFUL VERTEBRATES
PREDATORS IN THE OCEANS.
STRUCTURE
• HAVE A SKELETON COMPOSED OF PREDOMINANTLY OF CATILAGE ,WHICH IS OFTEN
IMPREGNANTED WITH CALCIUM.
• 750 SPECIES OF LIVING CHONDRICHTHAYES
• LARGEST AND MOST DIVERSE GROUP(SHARKES,RAYS AND STAKES).
• 2ND GROUP (RATFISHES,CHIMAERAS.
STRUCTURE
• SHARKS HAVE A STREAMLINED BODY, SWIFT SWIMMERS BUT CANNOT MANEUVER
VERY WELL.
• POWERFUL MOVEMENTS OF THE TRUNK AND THE CAUDAL(TAIL)FIN PROPEL THEM
FORWARD.
• DORSAL FINS FUNCTION MAINLY AS STABILIZERS AND THE PECTORAL AND THE
PELVIC FINS PROVIDE LIFT WHEN THE SHARK SWIMS .

10. Sharks Rays Rat-fishes
Structure
Habitat Found in marine
water.
cartilaginous body
structure.
Found in shallow
coastal waters of
temperate seas
Fish gills
Found in temperate
waters.
Nutrition carnivores that use
their structurally
adapted jaws with
sharp teeth to tear
the flesh of animals
into smaller pieces
wide variety of
available foods
from worms to
insect larvae,
shrimp and other
tiny crustaceans,
and small fishes.

11. . Locomotion The bodies of
most sharks are
adapted for their
locomotion in
water. The
movements of
the trunk and
the caudal (tail)
fin assist them in
moving forward.
The dorsal fins
function as
stabilizers
whereas the
pectoral fins and
the pelvic fins lift
the shark when
swimming.
Stingrays are
able to swim
forwards (and
slowly
backwards) by
undulating their
pectoral fins that
form their body

12. GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS/
TETRAPODS
• Four feeted animals
• Have limbs that can support their weight on land and feet with digits that allow
them to transmit muscle-generated forces to the ground when they walk.
• Head is separated by neck from body
• Bones of the pelvic girdle ,to which the hind legs are attached ,are fused to the
backbone
• The pharyngeal clefts give rise to parts of the ears , certain glands, and other
structures.

13. AMPHIBIA
• General characteristics
• Entirely aquatic
• Adults live on land
• SKIN BRIGHT COLORATION
• SKIN GLANDS ARE DISTATSEFUL OR EVEN HAVE A POISONOUS MUCUS.
• Body structure
• Nutrition
• NAT INSECTS
• Reproduction strategies
• Urodela(550)
• Anura
• Apoda
• Salamanders(walk on land /walk with a side to side bending of the bending of the body .

14. REPTILIA
• General characteristics
• Repiles have scales that contain protein keratin.scales help protect the animals skin
from dessication and abrasion .
• Reptiles lay their shelled eggs on land.
• Fertilization occurs internally before egg shell is secreted .
• Viviporous (snakes/lizards) contain extraembryonic membranes form a kind of placenta
which enables the embryo to obtain nutrients from its mother.
• Cold blooded species because they don’t use their metabolisms to control their body
temperature. However they regulate their body temperature by using behavioural
adaptations .
• Ectothermic species,as a result the species can survive on less than 10% food energy.

15. AVES
• 10000 SPECIES OF BIRD
• Bird species are adapted to facilitate flight
• Consist of wings and feathers
• Lack a urinary bladder and have one ovary
• Generally have small gonads which increase in size during breeding stages
• Tooothless species which serves to trim the face

16. MAMMILIA• General characteristicsStructure
• Mammary glands: which produce milk for their offspring.
• Hair //warm blooded//young born alive
• Fat layer under the skin to help retain heat.
• Endothermic animals
• High metabolic rate
• Efficient Respiratory system
• Circulatory system(four-hearted chamber)(to support the mammals metabolism.
• Larger brain than other vertebrates
• Differentiated teeth used for shering,crushing,grinding.
• Categorized into :
• Monotremes
• Marsupials
• Eutherians
• Primates
• Humans

17. MONOTREMES
• Found only in Australia, New Guinea
• Represented by one species of platypus and four species of
echidnas.
• STRUCTURE
• Have hair and produce milk(lack nipples)
• Milk is secreted by glands on the belly of the mother.
• Oviparous Organisms that lay eggs.
• Baby sucks milk from mothers fur after hatching .

18. MARSUPIALS
• High metabolic rates,nipples that produce milk
• Give birth to live young :vivipours organism
• Nursing young are held within a maternal pouch called
marsupium.
• Red kangaroo,Koalas,Opossums
• Found in the Australian region

19. EUTHERIANS
• Commonly called ,placental mammals as their placentas
are more complex than those of marsupials.
• Eutherians have a longer pregnancy than marsupials. The
eutherian young complete their embryonic development
within the uterus joined to their mother by the placenta.
• Major Eutherian Orders:
• Primates
• Living primates
• (phylogenic relationships)

20. PRIMATES
• General characteristics:
• Tree-dwellers/Monkeys /apes Structure:
• Have hands and feet adapted for grasping and their digits have
flat nails instead of narrow claws. Skin ridges on fingers .
• Large brain and short jaws giving the species a flat face .
• Forward –looking eyes are close together on the front of the face.
• Well developed parental care and complex social behaviour.
• Big toe that is widely separated from the other toes, enabling
them to graps branches with their feet.
• Nutrition

21. LIVING PRIMATES
Three main living groups of primates: lemurs of Madagascar,
the lorises of pottos of tropical Africa and southern asia.
The tarsiers of southest asia anthropiods,.
Most monkeys are diunrnal (active during the day)usually live
in bands held together by social behaviour.

22. HUMANS
• General Characteristics
• Structure:
• Stand upright
• Bipedal
• Much larger brain
• Langauage capabilities
• Manufacture and use of complex tools
• Reduced jaw bones
• Shorter digestive tract
• (phylogenic tree)