Subphylum Vertebrata

Vertebrates, which include fishes, reptiles, amphibians, birds, and mammals, all share a vertebral column,
or a chain of bony elements (vertebrae) that run along the dorsal surface from head to tail and form the
main skeletal axis of the body ie. The Vertebral Column.

Other features of vertebrates are :

 integument often modified to produce hair, scales, feathers, glands, horn, etc.
 digestive system with large digestive glands, liver, and pancreas
 ventral heart with 2-4 chambers
 blood with red blood cells containing hemoglobin, and in addition, white blood cells.
 paired kidneys with ducts to drain waste to exterior
 most vertebrates with two sexes, each with paired gonads (there are some exceptions)

Vertebrates are grouped into five classes:

 Pisces  Aves
 Amphibia  Mammalia
 Reptilia
Characters Pisces Amphibia Reptilia Aves Mammalia
Chambers in 2 3 3 (4 in crocodile) 4 4
Heart
Respiration Gills are used to Gills or lungs Lungs Lungs Lungs
obtain oxygen
dissolved in
water
Cold blooded/ Cold blooded Cold blooded Cold blooded Warm blooded Warm blooded
Warm blooded
Reproduction Lay eggs in Lay eggs in Lay eggs with tough Lay eggs with
water water covering, eggs laid tough covering,
on land eggs laid on
land
Skeleton Skin covered Endo-skeleton Endo-skeleton of Exoskeleton of Endo-skeleton of bones
with scales/ of bones bones feathers, and cartilage
plates, skeleton Endo-skeleton
either only of bones
cartilage (shark)
or bones and
cartilage (tuna,
Rohu)
Habitat Exclusively Found both in Found both in majority on Mostly Terrestrial,
aquatic water and on water and on land, land, some are (whales live in water,
land majority on land able to move in bats on trees)
water, most can
fly (aerial)
Any other Streamlined Mucus glands their eggs are Forelimbs Mammals give birth to
special feature body and in skin. protected from modified to young ones. Mammary
muscular tail dessication by an limbs for flight, glands for production of
help in extra membrane, hollow bones milk to nourish the
movement the amnion, not young ones, hair, sweat
found in glands and oil glands on
amphibians skin.
Examples Sting Ray, Frog, Toad, Turtle, Chamaleon, Ostrich, Pigeon, Whale, Bat, Echidna,
Scoliodon (Dog Salamander, Snake, Lizard, Sparrow, Crow Monkey, Kangaroo, Rat,
Fish) Hyla Chamaleon Humans
For more information visit the link:
http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Vertebrata.html