Vertebrate Zoology

Domain Eukarya

Kingdom Animalia

Phylum Chordata

Sub-phylum Vertebrata

Phylum Chordata

• Chordates have a nerve cord on the dorsal side of their bodies.

Sub-Phylum Vertebrata

Bony covering over the spinal cord / nerve cord.

Vertebra – singular

Vertebrae – plural

Fishes

• Ichthyology is the study of the fishes• Characteristics

scales-not all have scales (ex. Catfish)

ectothermic (cold-blooded)aquaticsexual reproductionexternal fertilization (in most cases)lateral lineswim bladdergills (except lung fishes)

• Key Sentence: Fishes have endoskeletons, gills, closed-loop circulation, and kidneys.

Class Agnatha

• Jawless fishes– Ex. Lamprey– Ex. Hagfish

Class Chodrichthyes

• Cartilage skeletons (no bones)– Sharks– Skates– Rays

Class Osteichthyes

• Bony Fishes– Ray-finned fishes

• Most diversity

– Lung fishes– Lobe-finned fishes

• Ex. Coelocanth

Class Amphibia• Characteristics

– Ectothermic– Smooth, moist skin– No claws on toes if toes are present– Aquatic and terrestrial– Have to return to water to reproduce– Sexual reproduction– External fertilization

• Key Sentence: Most of these amphibians share five key characteristics: legs, lungs, double-loop circulation, a partially divided heart, and cutaneous respiration.

Class Amphibia

Anura – no tail

ex. Toads & frogs

Urodela – visible tail

ex. Salamanders & newts

Apoda – no legs

ex. Caecilians

Trachystoma – rough mouthed

ex. Sirens, mudpuppy, hellbender

Class Reptilia• Characteristics

– Ecotothermic– Aquatic & terrestrial– Sexual reproduction– Internal fertilization– Amniote egg– Have to return to land to reproduce– Dry, scaly skin (waterproof) – Claws on toes if toes are present

• Key Sentence: Modern reptiles have scales, clawed toes, and an ectothermic metabolism, and reptiles lack feathers or hair.

Class Reptilia

Order Rhynchocephalia

ex. tuatara

Order Chelonia

ex. Turtles (aquatic) & Tortoises (Terrestrial)

Order Crocodilia

ex. Crocodiles, Alligator, Gavial, Caimen

Order Squamata

ex. Lizards & Snakes

Venomous Snakes in Emanuel County

Pit-Vipers (hemotoxin)• Rattlesnakes

– Eastern Diamondback ***– Timber or Cane-break– Pygmy (Carolina, Dusky, & pygmy)

• Cottonmouth moccasin• Copperhead

Elapid (neurotoxin)

Coral (red & yellow touch)

Aves• Characteristics

– Endothermic (warm-blooded)– Feathers– Scales on legs– Claws on toes– Protect young– Beak or bill– Amniote egg– Oviparous– Sexual reproduciton– Internal fertilizatin

• Key Sentence: The key characteristics of modern birds include feathers, wings, lightweight skeleton, enodthermic metabolism, lungs with air sacs, and a beak.

Orders of Aves

• Anseriformes- swans, geese, & ducks• Strigiformes- owls & nocturnal raptors• Apodiformes- hummingbirds• Psittaciformes- parrots, parakeets, budgerigars,

cockatoos, & cockatiels• Piciformes- woodpeckers, honeyguides, &

toucans• Falconiformes- raptors• Passeriformes- 5700 species most of the

familiar North American birds• Columbiformes- pigeons & doves

Orders of Aves Cont.

• Ciconiiformes- long-necked, long-legged

• Galliformes- turkeys, pheasants, chickens, grouse, and quails (fowl)

• Sphenisciformes- flightless marine birds (penguin)

• Struthioniformes- ostritch

Mammalia• Characteristics

– Endothermic– Hair / fur– 4 types of teeth– Mammary tissue– Young nourished with milk– Protect young– Sexual reproduction– Internal fertilization

• Key Sentence: Mammals are endothermic, they have hair and specialized teeth, and females produce milk in mammary glands, to nourish their young.

Order Monotremata

Echidna- spiny ant-eater

Duck-billed platypus

Both are oviparous but nourish their young with milk

Found only in Austrailia

Order Marsupalia

• Pouched mammals• Kangaroo• Koala• Wallaby• Wambat• Cuscus• Flying phylanger• Opossum

Orders of Placentals Carry the young inside the uterus for full gestation (from

conception to birth)

• Rodentia- squirrels, marmots, chipmunks, gophers, muskrats, mice, rats, & porcupines

• Edentata-ant- eaters, armadillos, sloths• Lagomorpha- rabbits, hares, pikas• Insectivora- shrews, hedgehogs, moles• Primates- prosimians (lemurs, tarsiers,

lorises) & anthropoids (apes, monkeys, & humans)

Orders of Mammalia cont.

• Chiroptera- bats• Carnivora- dogs, cats, raccoons, bears,

hyenas, & otters• Pinnidedia- sea lions, seals, walruses (or

is it walri???)• Artiodactyla- deer, elk, bison, moose,

cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, and camels• Perissodactyla- horses, zebra,

rhinoceroses, tapirs

Orders of Mammalia cont.

• Cetacea- whales, dolphins, porpoises

• Sirenia- manatees & dugongs

• Proboscidea- elephants (African & Indian)

Gestation

• Oviparous- lay eggs that are incubated outside of the body ex. Aves

• Viviparous- hold young inside the body for the entire gestation and give live birth ex. Placental mammals

• Ovoviviparous- hold eggs inside female’s body, eggs hatch, live birth ex. Pit-vipers