NOTES FOR BIOLOGY 1002

SECTIONS 004, 005, 006

Spring 2006

DR. STEVEN POMARICO

CHAPTER 26

ANIMALS: THE VERTEBRATES

The vertebrate organisms are the members of the Chordates and feature four new characteristics:

         Notochord

         Nerve cord

         Gill slits

         Tails

The Chordates characteristics include:

         -Cephalization

         -Segmentation (reduced but present)

         -Closed circulatory system

         -Excretory system

         -Well-developed nervous system

         -Includes groups with:

                   No skeleton - invertebrate (See fig 26.3 and fig 26.4)

                   Primitive cartilage skeleton - jawless fish (See fig 26.5)

                   Cartilage skeleton - cartilaginous fish (See fig 26.8)

                   Bony skeleton - bony fish (See fig 26.9)

- amphibians (See figs 26.10-26.12)

- reptiles (See figs 26.13 - 26.15)

- birds (See fig 26.16- 26-18)

- mammals (See figs 26.21 and 26.23)