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SCIENCE 6. UNIT 5. VERTEBRATES. C.E.I.P. SANTA ANA (Madridejos)

CONTENTS:

1.- Characteristics of vertebrates.

2.– Classification:

2.1.– Fish

2.2.– Reptiles

2.3.– Amphibians

2.4.– Birds

2.5.– Mammals

VERTEBRATES are animals with a backbone.

They have an internal skeleton formed by bones and a spinal

column. Their body is divided in head, trunk and limbs.

USEFUL WORDS:

.– skeleton .– backbone .– head .– trunk

.– limbs .– aquatic .– terrestrial .– scales

.– feathers .– fur .– skin .– limbs

.– fin .– wing .– gill .– lung

.– herbivore .– carnivore .– omnivore

.– oviparous .– viviparous .– metamorphosis

.- warm blooded .– cold blooded

1.– CHARACTERISTICS OF VERTEBRATES:

Vertebrates have some common characteristics:

1.– They are multicellular organisms.

2.- They have bones that form a skeleton with a

backbone. 3.– They are heterotroph organisms (consumers).

4.– Their body is divided in head, trunk and limbs.

5.– They can be aquatic or terrestrial.

2.– CLASSIFICATION OF VERTEBRATES:

Scientists study vertebrates and they classify them depending of some common characteristics. We are going to

study them thinking in several aspects like:

1.– Habitat: so they can be terrestrial or aquatic.

2.– Body shape:

.– They can be covered by scales, feathers, skin, fur…

.– Their limbs: fins, wings, legs…

3.– Body systems:

.– Circulatory system: cold or warm blooded…

.– Respiratory system: gills, lungs, skin…

4.– Food: they can be herbivores, carnivores, omnivores...

5.– Reproduction: Oviparous, viviparous, undergo a metamorphosis...

We divide VERTEBRATES into five groups: Fish, reptiles, amphibians, birds and mammals.

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Habitat Body shape Body systems Food Reproduction Examples

Terrestrial

Aquatic

Covered by:

Scales

Feathers

Skin

Fur...

Circulatory:

Cold blooded

Warm blooded

Herbivores

Carnivores

Omnivores

Oviparous

Viviparous

Metamorphosis

Fish: shark

Reptile: snake

Amphibian: frog

Bird: eagle

Mammal: lion

Limbs:

Fins / wings / legs Respiratory:

Gills / lungs / skin

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C.E.I.P. SANTA ANA (Madridejos)

FISH are aquatic, with fins to move and covered by scales.

They have gills to breath, and they are cold blooded.

They can be herbivore or carnivore, and they are oviparous.

USEFUL WORDS:

.– aquatic .– scales .– swim bladder

.– fin .– gill .– cold blooded

.– oviparous .– herbivore / carnivore / omnivore

2.1.– FISH:

There are so many species of fish in the planet, that they are very different in many ways (shape, size, way of living

and feeding…) But they have lots of important things in common:

1.– Habitat: They live in water, in rivers and lakes (fresh water) or in the seas and oceans. So they are aquatic.

2.– Body shape: They have a body designed to move in the water. They are covered by scales and have fins and a

swim bladder to move.

3.– Body systems: .- They have gills to breath. They get oxygen disolved in the water.

.– They are cold blooded, so they can’t regulate their body temperature.

4.– Food: some fish eat small particles floating in the water, or algae, and other are carnivore and eat other fish.

5.– Reproduction: they are oviparous, with external fertilisation. They lay lots of eggs, because only a few will be-

come in adults.. The rest of little individuals will be eaten by other fish.

Habitat Body shape Body systems Food Reproduction Examples

Aquatic Covered by scales

Swim bladder Circulatory:

Cold blooded

Herbivores

Carnivores

Omnivores

Oviparous Fish: shark

Limbs:

Fins Respiratory:

Gills

Dorsal fin

Caudal fin (Tail)

Pelvic fins Anal fin Pectoral fins

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C.E.I.P. SANTA ANA (Madridejos)

USEFUL WORDS:

.– lizard .– venomous .– shell-carapace

.– trunk .– limb .– tail

.– nostrils .– claws .– venom duct

.– fang .– rattlesnake .– plastron

2.1.– REPTILES:

There are many species of reptiles in the planet. They are very different in many ways (shape, size, way of living

and feeding…) But they have lots of important things in common:

1.– Habitat: They live in water and on land. So they can be aquatic and terrestrial.

2.– Body shape: There are different types:

.– Sauria: with four legs, dry skin formed by scales like lizards…

.– Crocodiles: with four legs, very hard scales and a strong mouth plenty of teeth. (crocodiles, aligators…)

.– Turtles: With four legs, dry skin and a shell to protect their bodies: turtle, tortoises…

.– Snakes: without legs, dry skin formed by scales like snakes... (Some of them are venomous).

3.– Body systems: .- They have lungs to breath, so they get oxygen from the air.

.– They are cold blooded, so they can’t regulate their body temperature, and many of

them are inactive during cold weather in winter.

4.– Food: They usually have teeth in their mouth. Most of them are carnivore.

5.– Reproduction: they are oviparous, with internal fertilisation. They lay eggs on land. Some species take care of

them and others don’t.

Habitat Body shape Body systems Food Reproduction Examples

Aquatic and

terrestrial

Covered by scales,

plates and shell for

protection

Circulatory:

Cold blooded

Herbivores

Carnivores

Omnivores

Oviparous Reptiles:

.- Sauria: lizard,

.– Crocodile.

.– Turtle

.– Snakes

Limbs:

With /without legs Respiratory:

lungs

HEAD Nostrils

Mouth

Eye

Ear

TRUNK

TAIL

Short legs

Toes with claws

Venom duct Venom duct

Muscle

Venom gland

Fang LIZARD

RATTLESNAKE

HEAD

REPTILES are aquatic and terrestrial. Some of them have four legs and others don’t have legs.

They are covered by scales or a shell. They have lungs to breath, and they are cold blooded.

They can be herbivore, carnivore or omnivore, and they are oviparous.

They have an internal skeleton formed by bones and a spinal column. Their body is divided

in head, trunk and limbs.

HEAD Eye

Beak

Neck

Shell (carapace)

Plastron

Tail Legs with claws

scales

TURTLE

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AMPHIBIANS are aquatic and terrestrial, with 4 legs and covered by naked skin.

They have gills to breath (when young), later, breath through lungs and skin. They

are cold blooded.

They are carnivore, and they are oviparous.

Eggs develop in tadpoles, and later they will change into adults (metamorphosis)

USEFUL WORDS:

.– smooth skin .– tadpole .– metamorphosis

2.1.– AMPHIBIANS:

There are many different species of amphibians in the planet, with different shape, size, way of living, habitat…).

But they have lots of important things in common:

1.– Habitat: They live in the water and on land, near rivers and lakes (fresh water) So they are aquatic and terrestrial

at the same time.

2.– Body shape: They have four legs and some of them with a tail. They are covered by smooth skin without scales.

They need to mantain the skin wet, so they need to place near water and they have glands that produce mucus.

3.– Body systems:

.- They have gills when they are young. When adults, they breath with lungs and through wet skin.

.– They are cold blooded, so they can’t regulate their body temperature and many of them are inactive

during cold weather in winter.

4.– Food: They eat insects, so they are carnivorous.

5.– Reproduction: they are oviparous, with external fertilisation. Females lay lots of eggs that are fertilised by males

into water. Eggs produce tadpoles (similar to fish). At the beginning, they breath through gills. Later, they develop

legs, lungs and finally they lose their tail. This process is called metamorphosis.

Habitat Body shape Body systems Food Reproduction Examples

Aquatic

and

terrestrial

Covered by

smooth skin Circulatory:

Cold blooded

Carnivores

Oviparous Amphibians: Frog, toad, salamander

Limbs:

legs Respiratory:

Gills, lungs and skin

Eggs—tadpoles— adult

ADULT FROG

Frog with eggs

Tadpole

Tadpole (2 legs)

Tadpole (4 legs)

Eye

Nostrils

Ear

Smooth skin

Membrane for swimming

Strong legs for jumping

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BIRDS are terrestrial, with wings to fly, and covered by feathers.

They have lungs to breath, and they are warm blooded.

They can be herbivore, carnivore or omnivore, and they are oviparous.

They have an internal skeleton formed by bones and a spinal column.

Their body is divided in head, body and limbs (wings and legs).

USEFUL WORDS:

.– wing .– air sacs .– beak .– nest

2.1.– BIRDS:

There are many species of birds in the planet, and they are very different (shape, size, way of living, feeding…) But

they have lots of important things in common:

1.– Habitat: They live on land, so they are terrestrial. Most can fly, but there are exceptions like penguins that can’t

fly but can swim or ostriches that can’t fly but they can run very fast.

2.– Body shape: They have a body designed to fly. They have 2 wings, they are covered by feathers (light and

strong to support their body in the air). They have got air sacs and empty bones to be lighter. And they have a beak

and legs adapted to get food.

3.– Body systems: .- They have lungs to breath.

.– They are warm blooded, so they can regulate their body temperature.

4.– Food: They can be herbivores, (ostriches eat leaves, roots or seeds from plants), carnivores like eagles, or omni-

vores like sparrows (that can eat insects, seeds…)

5.– Reproduction: they are oviparous with internal fertilisation. They usually build nest to lay eggs, and take care of

young individuals for a long time.

Habitat Body shape Body systems Food Reproduction Examples

Terrestrial Covered by feathers

Air sacks Circulatory:

Warm blooded

Herbivores

Carnivores

Omnivores

Oviparous Birds:

eagles, dove...

Limbs:

2 Wings Respiratory:

Lungs

beak

breast

Legs with claws

wing

tail

head

eye

SPARROW

Beak of a carnivore

(Eagle)

Beak of a seed predator

(Dove)

Beak of an insectivore (Bee-eater)

TYPES OF BEAKS

Beak of a fisher bird

(White stork)

belly

air sacs

air sacs

air sacs

traquea

lungs

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C.E.I.P. SANTA ANA (Madridejos)

MAMMALS are mostly terrestrial, with 4 legs and they are covered by fur.

They have lungs to breath, and they are warm-blooded.

They can be herbivore, carnivore and omnivore.

They are viviparous and females have breasts to feed newborns.

They have internal skeleton formed by bones. Their body is divided in head, trunk and limbs.

USEFUL WORDS:

.– fur .– skin

.– breasts .– placentals

.– marsupials .– monotremes

2.1.– MAMMALS:

There are many species of mammals, most of them live on land, but there are some of them (whales) that live in wa-

ter, or a few of them can fly (bats). They have lots of important things in common:

1.– Habitat: Most of them live on land, only a few can fly (bats) and only a few live in water (dolphins, whales…)

2.– Body shape: Terrestrial ones have 4 limbs with different forms to move or do different actions (eating,

digging…). They are covered by fur, or skin to keep body temperature.

3.– Body systems: .– All of them have lungs to breath.

.– They are warm-blooded, so they can regulate their body temperature.

4.– Food: there are herbivore (horse), carnivore (lion) and omnivore (bear).

5.– Reproduction: they are viviparous, with internal fertilisation. Females develop babies inside their bodies, and

later they give bird a new individual. Females have breasts to feed newborns.

Habitat Body shape Body systems Food Reproduction Examples

Mostly

terrestrial

Covered by fur

or skin Circulatory:

Warm blooded

Herbivores

Carnivores

Omnivores

Viviparous

Females have

breasts

Mammals: Terrestrial: rabbit, dog…

Aquatic: dolphin, whale

Can fly: bat

Limbs:

4 legs

(or 2 arms & 2 legs)

Respiratory:

Lungs

DOG There are three types of reproduction in mam-

mals:

1.– PLACENTALS: (viviparous).

Retain babies into the uterus for long periods of

development: lion, giraffe, whale…

2.– MARSUPIALS: (viviparous).

Give birth to incompletely developed fetuses,

which mature in mother’s pouch: kangaroos…

3.– MONOTREMES: (oviparous).

Lay eggs: platypus

1.- PLACENTALS: Lion

2.– MARSUPIALS: Kangaroo

3.– MONOTREMES: Platypus

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