Vertebrate Test Flashcards
Vertebrates fall into the phylum ______________________________.
chordata
What kingdom do vertebrates belong to?
class
Lancelets and tunicates are classified as _______________________.
phylum chordata
What are the six characteristics of vertebrates?
- Endoskeleton with a backbone for support of a dorsal nerve cord & muscle attachment
- Distinct skull and nervous tissue region
- Bilateral symmetry
- 2 pairs of jointed appendages
- Coelom-cavity within the body
- Closed circulatory system & chambered heart
What are 3 characteristics of fish?
aquatic tetrapods with scales, gills, & 2 chambered hearts
Name the 3 orders of fish and give their characteristics.
Class Agnathans: jawless fishes (hagfish, lampreys)
Class Chondrichthyes: cartilagenous fish (sharks, rays)
Class Osteichthyes: bony fish (mahi-mahi, tilapia, halibut, puffer fish, tetras, guppies)
What are the characteristics of the hagfish and lampreys (class=Agnathans)?
- Jawless & finless
- Skeleton of cartilage
- Reproduce sexually
- Gills
- 2 Chambered Heart
- Oviparous-eggs are laid in a nest or in the ground and hatch
The class Chondrichthyes contains sharks and rays. What are the characteristics of this class?
- Endoskeleton made of cartilage
- Paired fins
- Jaws
- 2 chambered heart
- Well-developed sense of sight and smell
- Lateral line system (for sensing pressure changes – vibrations - in water); whole body acts as an “ear
- Internal fertilization- deposit sperm in female reproductive tract
The class Osteichthyes are one of the most successful groups on Earth. List the characteristics of organisms in this order. Give examples of organisms in this class.
- Endoskeleton made of bones
- Swim bladder
- Usually, external fertilization
- Lateral line system
- Scales different from those in sharks
- 2 chambered heart (all fish!)
What are the characteristics of amphibians?
semiaquatic tetrapods with split lives & 3-chambered hearts
Amphibians are semi aquatic tetrapods. What are the three major groups in this class and their characteristics?
Anura – “tailless ones” (frogs & toads)
Urodela – “tailed ones” (salamanders & newts)
Apoda – “legless ones” (caecilians)
True or False. Aquatic tetrapods gave rise to the first amphibians, who probably came on land in search of food.
true
What are the characteristics of the Class Amphibia?
(Frogs, toads, salamanders, and newts)
- Ectotherms- must gain (or lose) heat from the environment to maintain body temperature
- Need H2O for breeding
- Metamorphosis (tadpole 🡪 frog)
- Gas exchange through moist skin & mouth; primitive balloon-like lungs
- External fertilization
- 3-chambered heart
What are some of the physical characteristics of reptiles?
terrestrial amniote tetrapods with scales & lungs & 3 to 4 chambered hearts
What are the major groups of reptiles?
Squamata – lizards and snakes
Testudines – turtles & tortoises
Crocodilia – alligators, crocodiles, and related species