Module

Parade of Vertebrates
4
Objectives:
1. To introduce and innumerate the different members of the Sub
phylum vertebrata.
2. To relate briefly their natural history and phylogeny.
3. To provide a small sampling of the astounding diversity of vertebrate
species that have populated the water, land, and air of earth
Outcome:
1. Compare the different characters of the different levels of classes of vertebrates.
2. Analyze why the different classes of vertebrates have different characteristics.

Outline:
1. Vertebrate taxa
2. Agnatha
a. Ostracoderms
b. Cyclostomes
3. Gnathostomes (Acanthodi and Placodermi)
4. Chondrichthyes
a. Elasmobranchs
b. Holocephalans
5. Osteichthyes
a. Ray-finned fishes
b. Lobe-finned fishes
6. Amphibia
a. Labyrinthodonts
b. Lepospondyls
c. Lissamphibians
7. Reptilia
a. Anapsida
b. Lepidosaurs
c. Archosaurs
d. Eurapsids
e. Synapsids
 8. Aves
a. Archaeornithes
b. Neornithes
9. Mammalia
a. Monotremata
b. Marsupialia
c. Insectivora
d. Chiroptera
e. Primates
f. Carnivora
g. Cetacea
h. Edentata
i. Tubulidentata
j. Pholidota
k. Rodentia
l. Lagomorpha
m. Ungulates and subungulates
n. Perissodactyla
o. Artiodactyla
p. Proboscidea
q. Hyracoidea
r. Sirenia

10. Variation among individuals

Pre Test
Lecture Proper
(There are no “correct” classification of vertebrates until the entire community of natural
scientists agree on one. Meanwhile, the one used here has received wide acceptance).
Phylum Chordata
Subphylum I. Cephalochordata (Acrania), Amphioxus and its allies.
Subphylum II. Urochordata or Tunicata, the tunicates or sea squirts.
Subphylum III. Hemichordata (Enteropneusta) , Balanoglossus and its allies.
Subphylum IV. Vertebrata, all animals with a vertebral column.
Class 1. Cyclostomata, (Agnathans) the cyclostomes or round-mouthed fishes, fishlike
animals without lower jaws or paired fins.
Agnatha includes two groups of jawless fishes, the ancient bony) ostracoderms
– the oldest known vertebrates dates to the Late Cambrian, and the extant eellike
 boneless lampreys and hag fishes, commonly knowns as b) cyclostomes. The two groups
exhibit both contrast and similarities.

An example of ostracoderm (bony)

Above, Cyclostome (lamprey) body (boneless)

Below, showing suctorial projections of mouth

Lampreys are anadromous, that is, live in the sea but migrate upstream to lay their eggs.
In contrast to catadromous fishes that live in fresh water but migrate downstream to spawn,
example is the Milk fish.
 Gnathostomes (Acanthodi and Placodermi)
Acanthodians date to Silurian is the oldest jawed fishes. Their bodies and heads are protected
by dermal armor of bony plates

Their skeleton consisted of bone and cartilage, and unlike sharks, they had a large
operculum. Their paired fins, supplemented by as five accessory pairs were supported by hollow
spines.

Placodermi have paired fins and were predators. A heavy bony dermal shield covered the head
and gill region and another covered much of the trunk, the two shields meeting in a movable
joint and the remainder of the body was usually covered by scales or otherwise sometimes
naked. Having atypical pectoral fins, dorsal eyes and a flattened ventral surface that suggests
they were bottom feeders.

Placodermi
Class 2. Pisces, the true fishes, with jaws and paired fins.

Subclass i. Elasmobranchii, fishes with a cartilaginous skeleton and exposed gill slits,
including the dogfish, skates, sharks, etc.

Chondrichthyes – cartilaginous fishes

Elasmobranchii – Have no bone in their body other than in their scale and teeth, The
mouth is on the ventral surface rather than terminal. Their scales and placoid composed
of basal plate and bony spine of dentin that protrudes to the skin. Pelvic fins of males are
modified into claspers. Examples are: shark, skates and rays.

Ray

Shark
 Subclass 2. Teleostomi, fishes with a more or less bony skeleton and with gill slits
concealed under an operculum.

Order i. Crossopterygii, paired fins with a basal stalk; Polypterus. (See Fig. i.)

FIG. i. A, anterior end of a crossopterygian fish (Polypterus) to show the lobe or stalk on which the fin is borne.
B, anterior end of a common teleost fish (trout) to show the absence of such a stalk. This difference is not, however, an important
distinguishing character between groups of fishes.

Order 2. Chondrostei, paired fins without a stalk (Fig. i), skeleton largely cartilaginous,
with a spiral valve in the intestine, heart with a conus arteriosus; the sturgeon (Acipenser) and
the spoonbill (Polyodon).

Sturgeon

Order 3. Holostei, like the preceding, but skeleton well ossified; the gar pike
(Lepidosterus) and the river dogfish or bowfin (Amia). These three orders are commonly
referred to as the ganoid fishes owing to the shiny scales (ganoid scales) with which most of
them are covered

Bowfin Amia calva

 Order 4. Teleostei, paired fins without a stalk, skeleton well ossified, without spiral valve
or conus arteriosus; all of the common fishes. This order is commonly referred to as the teleosts
or bony fishes. The three orders Chondrostei, Holostei, and Teleostei are often grouped
together as the Actinopterygii or ray-finned fishes in which the fin rays spring directly from the
body in contrast to the Crossopterygii or fringe-finned fishes, in which the fin rays spring from a
stalk and form a sort of fringe on the end of the stalk.

Chondrostei (Sturgeon)

Holostei

Teleostei

Lobe -Finned Fishes: Sarcopterygii have a permanent fleshy lobe at their paired fins. The
lobe contains part of the fin skeleton. There are two orders, Crossopterygii, which includes the
ancestors of amphibians, were the most common fishes of the Devonian, but they are now
extinct, example is the Latimeria and; Dipnoi, the lung fishes are sometimes referred to as
 “true” lungfishes to distinguish them from those few ray finned -fishes that use swim bladders
for respiration times of drought only. Example is Neoceratudus.

CROSSOPTRYGIAN (Latimeria)

DIPNOAN (Lungfish) Neoceratodus

Class 3. Amphibia, amphibians, lowest four-legged vertebrates, skins naked and slimy, or
with bony plates (extinct), living in or near water.
Subclass 1. Labyrinthodonts – the oldest amphibians (dentin of their teeth was infolded
in such a way in such a manner as to resemble a labyrinth. They were swamp-dwelling.

Labyrinthodont
Subclass 2. Stegocephala, extinct amphibia, with tails, and covered with an
armor of bony plates.

Stegocephala

Subclass 3. Lissamphibia, present-day amphibia, with naked slimy skins (a few

with minute, concealed scales).
Order 1. Urodela, with tails; the salamanders and newts, Necturus, Amblystoma,
Cryptobranchus, etc.

Salamander

Order 2. Anura, tailless; frogs, toads .

Frog
 Order 3. Apoda – limbless amphibians; caecilians

Caecilian

Class 4. Reptilia. Reptiles are air-breathing vertebrates covered with horny scales. They
experienced changes that made them better adapted to a permanent terrestrial existence
than were their amphibious ancestors. Perhaps the major one was the acquisition of
three embryonic membranes, the amnion, chorion, and allantois, which compensated
them the necessity of returning to water to lay their eggs. The amnion is a fluid-filled
membranous sac in which the embryo develops. Instead of the mother having to go to
the water to deposit their eggs, the embryo is provided by its private pond. Thus, the
reptiles become the first amniote. The chorion and allantois constitute a vascularized
membrane that lies against the porous eggshell, another innovation, taking the place of
larval gills for respiration. The body is covered with thick layer of cornified epithelial cells
that is organized into plaques, shields on surface scales unlike the bony dermal scales of
fishes and early amphibians. Living reptiles like the fishes and amphibians are ectothermic
(cannot maintain a more or less body temperature which is ambient to their environment.
Order i. Cotylosauria. Most primitive group of extinct reptiles, arose during the
mid-Carboniferous, resembling Stegocephala in skeletal characters.

Seymouria.

Fossils of Cotylosaurs
 A

A, B, Extinct Cotylosaurs

Order 2. Anapsida – the term “anapsid” refers to the absence of temporal arch
Chelonia, the turtles, body in closed in a hard case.

Order 3. Lepidosaurs includes:

Rhyncocephalia, including but one animal, the Sphenodon (Hatteria) or
tuatara of New Zealand, a lizard-like animal with primitive skeletal

Tuatara Sphenodon puntatus

characters and;
Squamata, usually of small or moderate size and covered with horny
scales. Lacertilia, the lizards, nearly always with limbs, eyelids
movable.
 Superb fan throated lizard

Green forest lizard

Ophidia, the snakes, devoid of limbs, eyelids immovable.

Order 4. Archosaurs
Crocodilia (The sole surviving archosaurs), the crocodiles,
alligators, gavials, and caimans, large reptiles with both
horny scales and bony plates in the skin.

Thecodontia – stem reptiles

 Pterosauria -flying reptiles

Saurischia – dinosaurs with reptilian pelvis

Ornithischia – dinosaurs with birdlike pelvis

Order 5. Euryapsida – reptiles with a single dorsal temporal fossa on each side,
fishlike in outward appearance

Ichthyosaurs

Order 6. Synapsida – distinguish by a single lateral

temporal fossa.

Pelycosaurs – earliest synapsids

 Therapsida (Mammalian like reptile)

Class 5. Aves
Birds are endothermic vertebrates with feathers. They are descendants of some
bipedal dinosaur, most likely an ornithician.
Endothermy is the ability to maintain a relatively stable body temperature.
Feathers are exquisitely structured keratinized appendages of the epidermis that have
replaced reptilian scales on all surfaces except the beak, legs, and feet.
Modification of the skeleton include a large sternal keel, or carina, for
attachment of the massive flight muscles. The entire skeleton of the trunk except
the ribs has become a rigid unit by ankylosis of trunk vertebrae and their fusion
with the pelvic girdle to form a synsacrum. There are two generally recognized
subclasses of birds:
Archeonithes – contains but one or possibly two species known only by fossil
remains.

Archaeopteryx
Neornithes – includes all other birds, both extinct and modern.

Odontognathae (Neornithes with teeth)

Odontognathae

Neognathae (toothless bird)

Class 6. Mammalia, mammals, vertebrates with hair and milk glands.
Subclass i. Prototheria, mammals laying eggs which are incubated outside the body, but
the young are nourished by milk and have cloaca throughout life.
Order i. Monotremata, the monotremes, or egg-laying mammals, including only
the duckbill (Ornithorhynchus) and the spiny anteaters (Echidna and
Proechidna) of the Australian region.

Platypus

Subclass 2. Metatheria. Viviparous mammals that use the yolk for a placenta
Order i. Marsupialia, the marsupials, mammals bearing the young in a very
 Extremely immature state, and carrying them in a pouch formed by a fold
of skin on the abdomen - marsupium, placenta absent or primitive;
kangaroos, opossums, etc.

Kangkaroo

Subclass: Eutheria (Placentalia) – referred to as placental mammals

Order 1. Insectivora – primitive order, rather small mammala, sually with

elongated mouths.
Order 3 Chiroptera – specialized mammals for they are the only mammals that
fly, these are the bats. The wing of the bat is constructed entirely different from
the wing of the bird. The fingers are greatly elongated and connected by a web
which offers resistance to the air. The web is attached to the body, hind limbs,
and tail called patagium.

Bat

Order 4 Primates – Although nervous system, especially the cerebral portion of

the brain, is best developed, they show many generalized characteristics. Limbs
are usually long and the pentadactyl hands and feet are relatively large. Thumb
and big toe are opposable, although in man this applies only to the thumb .

Lemur

Gorilla
 Ape

Order 5. Carnivora – are flesh eaters, for the most part, although some are
omnivorous, the carnivorous mammals, with claws and sharp, cutting teeth the
bears, raccoons, minks, martens, weasels, otters, dogs, foxes, wolves, cats, lions,
tigers, hyaenas, seals, walruses. All have three pair of small incisor teeth in both
upper and lower jaws and large, well-developed canine teeth. Their limbs are
typically pentadactyl.

Hyaena
 Mongoose

Order 6. Cetacea – whales,, porpoises, and dolphins are members of this order.
Only trace of hairy covering remain, shown by a few scattered hairs in the
muzzle region of the snout. The webbed pectoral appendages are
flippers. Pelvic appendages are lacking except for rudiments of the pelvic
girdles.

Whale

Order 7. Edentata – teeth lacking or degenerate, presence of only poorly

developed molar teeth when young; the ant bears, sloths, and
armadillos.

Armadillo

Order 8. Tubulidentata – termite eating, burrowing mammal, with a thickest

body, large, pointed ears, and a long snout. There are a few poorly
developed permanent teeth. Incisors and canine are lacking .
 Aardvark

Order 9. Pholidota – scaly anteater, body is covered with large, horny,

overlapping scales, among which a few hairs are interspersed. Teeth are
lacking. Example: Pangolin

` Pangolin

Order 10. Rodentia, the rodents, gnawing chisel-like incisor teeth both in upper
and lower jaw, and back teeth with flat, grinding surfaces; the hares,
rabbits, squirrels, rats, mice, porcupines, guinea pigs are examples.

Porcupine

Order 11. Lagomorpha – Like rodents they lack canine teeth, and their incisors
grow continually. They have four incisor teeth, rather than two, in the upper jaw.
The second pair lies behind the first and is smaller. Their tails are short and
stubby. Examples are rabbits, pikas, and hares.
 Pika

Ungulates – walks on the tip of their toes. Have no clavicle

Order 12. Order Perrisodactyla – Ungulates walk on hoofed tips of one, three,
occasionally four toes and are distinguished by the fact that most of the body
weight is borne in a single digit-mesaxonic foot. Examples are horses and
horselike mammals, rhinoceros.

Order 13. Atriodactyla – Ungulates in which the weight of the body in borne on
two toes – paraxonic foot. Examples are pigs, hippopotamuses,
peccaries, cattle, camels, llamas, deer, antelope, and giraffes.
 Antelope

Order 14. Proboscidea – subungulates with proboscis, scanty hair, and thick
wrinkled skin. The incisor teeth of one or both jaws are elongated to form tusks.,
canine teeth are absent and the molars are large grinders, as in ungulates.
Examples are elephants and mastodons

Order 15. Hyracoidea – have short ears, they hunch the body when at rest, the
upper lip is slit (harelip), and the incisor teeth grow continuously. They are
plantigrade (flatfooted). Example: hyraxes
 Hyrax

Order 16. Sirenia – Sireneans (sea cows), thought to be descendants of primitive

ungulate stock, are the exclusively vegetarian manatees and dugongs.

Manatees

Additional scientific names used for convenience in grouping the classes of vertebrates
are:
Ichthyopsida. This term, meaning fishlike animals, includes the two classes, Pisces and
Amphibia.

Sauropsida. This term, meaning reptile-like animals, includes the two classes,
Reptilia and Aves.

Anamniota or Anamnia. This term includes the classes Pisces and Amphibia and
refers to the fact that their embryos are naked. Amniota. This
embraces the three classes, Reptilia, Aves, and Mammalia, and
 refers to the fact that the embryos of these groups are covered by a
membrane, the amnion.

Acraniata or Acrania. This name is synonymous with Cephalochordata and is

derived from the absence of the skull in Amphioxus
.
Craniata. This term is synonymous with Vertebrata and refers to the fact that all
vertebrates possess a skull.

Agnathostomata. This term, meaning without jaws, is synonymous with

Cyclostomata.
Gnathostomata. This name, meaning jawed, includes all of the classes of
vertebrates,except Cyclostomata.

Tetrapoda. This term, meaning four footed, includes all of the land vertebrates,
i.e., the classes Amphibia, Reptilia, Aves, and Mammalia.
Activity – Refer to Virtual Laboratory Exercise 2: Taxonomic Survey of Phylum Chordata

Laboratory: Film showing of the different habits of different vertebrates. Laboratory

demonstration dissection of chordate subphylum representatives may
be substituted for individual dissection by the student. Study models of
vertebrates in the department, and stuffed vertebrate animals in Aga Khan
museum.
References
Bensley, G. Practical Anatomy of the Rabbit. CNH The Cambridge Natural
History: Volume VII, " Fishes, Ascidians, " etc. ; Volume VIII, "Amphibia and
Reptiles."
 Hyman, L. H. A Laboratory Manual for Vertebrate Anatomy. Copyright 1972 by
the UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO

Kardong, Kenneth V. Vertebrates: Comparative Anatomy, Function, Evolution,

6th Edition. Published by McGraw-Hill, a business unit of The McGraw-Hill
Companies, Inc., 1221 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020. Copyright
© 2012 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Kent, G. Comparative Anatomy of the Vertebrates 7th Edition. Copyright 1992 by

Mosby- Year Book, Inc.

Lankester, A Treatise on Zoology. Part IX, first fascicle, " Cyclostomes and
Fishes."

Newman, N. Vertebrate Zoology. P and H Parker and Haswell, A Textbook of

Zoology, Volume II, 3d ed., 1971.

Romer, [Link] Vertebrate Body.4th Edition. Copyright 1967 by W, B. Saunders

Co.,

Scanlon, V.C. Essentials of Anatomy and Physiology. 5th Edition. Copyright ©

2007 by F. A. Davis Company

Torrey, T.W. Morphogenesis of the Vertebrates.5th Ed. Copyright 1991 by John

Wiley and Sons, Inc.

Waterman, A.J. Chordste Structure and [Link] McMillan Co. New

York.1971.

Weichert, C.K. Elements of Chordate Anatomy.5th Edition. Copyright 1967 by

McGraw Hill, Inc.

Young, J.Z. The Life of Vertebrates. Oxford University Press. New York 1962.

Web links:
EARLY CAMBRIAN OSTRACODERMS AND THE TRIALS AND
TRIBULATIONS OF TOTAL EVIDENCE DATING
[Link]

LABYRINTHODONTIA PACK UNLOCK LABYRINTHODONTIA 999+ |

JURASSIC WORLD THE GAME
[Link]

What On Earth Is A Tuatara? | Modern Dinosaurs

[Link]

Class Aves (Birds)| Characteristics of Birds

|Biology Plus| Lecture #56
[Link]

The Evolution of Early Mammals

[Link]

Major Theoretical and Practical Examination

Review of Answer Key for the justification of the answers of the examination