Vertebrate Worksheet

1. What are the four characteristics that all members of chordate have?
a. notochord
b. pharyngeal slits
c. muscular, postanal tail
d. dorsal, hollow nerve chord
2. What organisms belong to urochordata? Tunicate, sessile and marine
When do the four characteristics of chordates occur for this organism? Larval form adult does not
resemble a chordate
3. What organisms belong to the cephalochordata? Lancelets small, marine, burrow in sand with only
anterior end exposed.
4. When do the four characteristics of chordates occur for this organism? As adults
5. What does the subphylum vertebrata have that cephalochordates do not have? Neural crest, pronounced
cephalization, vertebral column, closed circulatory system
6. In what kingdom, phylum, and subphylum are vertebrates classified? Animalia, Chordata, Vertebrata

7. List the classes of vertebrates. Agnatha (myxini and cephalaspidomorphi), Chondrichthyes,

Osteichthyes, Amphibia, Reptilia, Aves, Mammalia

4. What were the 1st vertebrates & describe them? Agnathans no appendages, bottom dwelling, aquatic
or marine

5. Sketch a lamprey & describe the characteristics of this fish. Where are they found? Jawless, predator
and parasite, eel shaped, round mouth with circles of teeth, suck on to prey and suck blood.

6. Describe a hagfish. Similar to lamprey but they scavenge, marine only.

7. In what superclass are lampreys & hagfish found & why? Agnatha, jawless
8. Do agnathans have paired fins? no

9. What were the 1st jawed fish & describe them. Placoderms plate skinned, Devonian period
(~400MYA)
10. What are the 2 classes of jawed fish? Chondrichthyes and Osteichthyes
11. What is in the class Chondrichthyes & what traits do they have in common. Sharks and rays,
cartilaginous skeletons, suspension feeders or carnivores, acute senses, lateral line, internal fert.
12. Compare and contrast: oviparous, ovoviviparous, and viviparous. Oviparous: Eggs laid in protective
coat, hatch outside moms body; ovoviviparous: Fertilized eggs develop within mom, young born after
hatching in uterus; viviparous: young develop in uterus not in egg, live birth.
13. What is the function of the following:
a. Swim bladder buoyancy, can be modified lung
b. Lateral lines sense changes in water pressure, detects vibrations
c. Keratinized scales tough for protection, waterproof, slime to reduce drag
d. Operculum flap over gills, push water out allowing fish to breathe without moving.
e. Cloaca one opening for urine, feces, and reproduction
14. Name the class for bony fish. Osteichthyes

15. Name the 2 subclasses of bony fish. Actinopterygii ray-finned fishes and Sarcopterygii lobefinned fishes and lung fishes

16. Give several examples of ray-finned fish & describe them. Trout, salmon, bass

17. Name 2 lobe-finned fish & describe both of them. Coelocanths and rhipidistians muscular pectoral
and pelvic fins. Can walk on fins. Only 1 extant species, a coelacanth.

18. What was the 1st group of vertebrates to move onto land? What is in this group? Amphibia frogs,
toads, salamanders

19. Define tetrapod. What is the link between fish and tetrapods? Tetrapods walk on 4 legs. A Devonian
lobe-finned fish is the likely link.
20. Describe characteristics of amphibians. 2 lives tadpole frog. Metamorphosis. Tied to water no
shell on eggs, mostly external fertilization.

21. Amphibians are ectotherms. What does this mean? Cold-blooded

22. How are amphibians still linked to water? Eggs, fertilization

23. Name and describe the 3 extant orders of amphibians. Urodela salamanders, Anura frogs and
toads, Apoda Caecilians (legless, burrowing)

24. What is in the class Reptilia? Turtles, snakes, lizards, crocodiles, alligators

25. Reptiles do not need water for reproduction. Explain why this is true. Amniotic egg

26. Sketch an amniotic egg. What are the four key extraembryonic membranes in an amniotic egg and the
function of each?
A Amnion protection, fluid filled to cushion and hydrate
B Allantois wastes, gas exchange
C Chorion gas exchange
D Yolk sac covers the yolk, a stockpile of nutrients for the devel. embryo
27. Describe characteristics of the reptiles. Ectothermic, keratinized scales, lungs, amniotic egg, mostly
internal fertilization
28. What reptile group is thought to be the ancestors of mammals? Synapsids mammal-like reptiles
29. What were pterosaurs? Flying reptiles, existed with dinosaurs

30. What 3 orders of retiles are still alive today? What are the main differences between the 3 orders?
Chelonia turtles, Squamata lizards and snakes, Crocodilia alligators and crocodiles.

31. What class contains birds? Aves

32. From what did birds probably evolve? Explain the evidence. Flying reptiles amniotic egg and scales
on feet.
33. What are the distinguishing features of birds? Honeycomb bones, absence of teeth, only 1 ovary,
endothermic, feathers, air sacs, amniotic egg, wings, keeled sternum

34. Explain the concept of an airfoil and how it allows flight in birds. Air traveling over airfoil has to
travel farther > molecules spaced farther apart than below airfoil > greater pressure below airfoil > lift.
37. Birds are endotherms. What does this mean? Warm-blooded use their metabolic heat to maintain a
constant body temp.
37. Explain how a bird wing is adapted for flight. Honeycomb bones, hollow feather shaft, aerodynamic
stiff contour feathers
38. What adaptation do carinates have for flight? Keeled sternum bone for super-muscle attachment in
the chest
39. What characteristics differentiate mammals from the other vertebrate classes? Hair, diaphragm,
subcutaneous fat, mammary glands, placenta, differentiated teeth

40. What in female mammals produces milk? Mammary glands

41. What is mammalian hair made of and what are its functions? Keratin temperature regulation,
camouflage, behavior

42. What bones are modified in mammals to help them hear sounds? Lower jaw bone

43.Give examples of monotremes & tell their characteristics. Tell where they are found. Platypuses,
echidnas, lay eggs, no nipples, suck mild from fur of mother. Australia
44. Give examples of marsupials & tell their characteristics. Tell where most of them are found.
Kangaroos, opossums, koalas, embryonic devel. Completed in pouch. Mostly in Australia.

45. Most mammals are placentals. What does this mean? Eutherian lining of moms uterus and other
membranes membranes help nutrients diffuse into embryos blood, long-lasting association between
mother and developing young
46. What is gestation? Do all mammals have the same gestation period? Pregnancy condition of
carrying embryo(s). Rodents = 21 days, dogs = 60 days, humans ~ 270 days, elephants = 600 days
47. What is the purpose of the chorion? delete

48. Name the 12 orders of placental mammals & give an example of an animal in each order. Artiodactyla
sheep, carnivore bears, cetacean whales, chiroptera bats, edentata sloths, insectivore shrews,
lagomorpha rabbits, perisssodactyla horses, primates monkeys, proboscidea elephants, rodentia
mice, sirenia - manatees
49. Which group of primates is most closely related to us? chimpanzees
50. List five hominids in order from most primitive to Homo sapiens and give one sentence describing
them.
A. Gibbons long tail, acrobatic, monogamous
B Orangutan solitary, live in trees
C Gorilla largest ape, herbivores, Africa
D Chimpanzees, trees and ground, intelligent, closely related to humans
E Humans
51. Which model on the origins of humans would say that we all have a common ancestor of Lucy or
some other African human? Give one piece of evidence that supports this idea and one piece of evidence
that refutes this idea.
Monogenesis model says we all came from common African ancestor, Multiregional model says humans
in different continents evolved independently.
For monogenesis: only African fossils show the complete transition from archaic Homo sapiens to
modern humans
Against monogenesis: Some fossils from various continents that could be links between archaic Homo
sapiens and modern humans.