Vertebrates
What are Vertebrates?
Vertebrates are animals that possess a backbone or spinal column, distinguishing them from invertebrates, which lack a vertebral column. Vertebrates include a diverse group of animals such as mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and fish, and they typically have more complex body structures than invertebrates.
Animals with Backbones
Vertebrates are animals that have a backbone or spine. This group includes many familiar animals, like fish, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and mammals (including humans!). Their backbone helps support their body and protects their spinal cord.
What Makes Vertebrates Special?
Vertebrates have some key features:
- Backbone: Made of bones or cartilage, it gives structure and protection.
- Skeleton: A framework of bones that helps them move and grow.
- Complex Organs: Vertebrates have well-developed brains, hearts, and lungs.
Types of Vertebrates
There are five main groups of vertebrates:
- Fish: Live in water and use gills to breathe. Examples: sharks, trout.
- Amphibians: Start life in water but can live on land as adults. Examples: frogs, salamanders.
- Reptiles: Have dry, scaly skin and lay eggs. Examples: snakes, turtles.
- Birds: Covered in feathers, they lay eggs and most can fly. Examples: eagles, penguins.
- Mammals: Have hair or fur and feed their young with milk. Examples: humans, whales.
Where They Live
Vertebrates can be found everywhere:
- Oceans: Fish and whales thrive in saltwater.
- Forests: Birds and mammals call trees and the ground home.
- Deserts: Reptiles like lizards survive in harsh, dry conditions.
Vertebrate Chordates
Vertebrate chordates are animals that have a backbone or spinal column and belong to a larger group called Chordates. All chordates have a few things in common at some point in their lives: a notochord (a flexible rod that supports the body), a nerve cord, gill slits, and a tail. Vertebrate chordates are the chordates that develop a backbone, and they’re divided into five main groups:
- Fish: Fish live in water, have gills to breathe, and usually have scales. They’re the most diverse vertebrate group, with examples like salmon, sharks, and rays.
- Amphibians: Amphibians, like frogs, toads, and salamanders, usually start life in water with gills and then develop lungs to live on land as they grow. They go through a big change called metamorphosis.
- Reptiles: Reptiles, like snakes, lizards, and turtles, have dry, scaly skin and usually lay eggs on land. They breathe air with lungs and are adapted to live in various environments.
- Birds: Birds have feathers, lay eggs with hard shells, and most can fly. They have beaks instead of teeth and a high metabolism, which helps them stay active.
- Mammals: Mammals have hair or fur, breathe air with lungs, and produce milk to feed their young. Humans, cats, whales, and elephants are all examples of mammals.
These five groups of vertebrates are all part of the chordate family and share similar basic structures but have adapted in different ways to thrive in various environments.