What Are the Five Groups of Vertebrates?
Quick Answer
The five main groups of vertebrates, known as classes, are: fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals. Vertebrate species are assigned groups based on shared traits, such as body covering, the ability to maintain a steady temperature and the number of chambers in the heart, among others. Some groups of birds and mammals, called clades, are grouped according to a shared ancestry.
Continue ReadingFull Answer
Fish are the largest and most diverse group of vertebrates. Fish are the oldest of the vertebrate classes, breathe through gills, and both live in and lay eggs in the water. Fish are ectothermic, and vary their body temperature to match the surrounding environment.
Amphibians are also ectothermic and, like fish, lay their eggs in water. Larval amphibians have gills, but the adult stages of almost every species breathes air through lungs. Amphibians have moist, permeable skin that cannot be allowed to dry out.
Reptiles are ectothermic, air-breathing vertebrates that breed on land. Their skin is usually scaly, and different groups of reptiles either lay a water-resistant egg or give birth to live young.
Mammals are derived from ancestral synapsid reptiles. They maintain a high body temperature, generally give birth to live young and are usually covered with hair. Birds are descended from a different line of reptiles, lay eggs and are covered with feathers. Birds are also capable of maintaining a constant temperature.
Learn more about MammalsRelated Questions
-
Q:
What Are the Five Classes of Vertebrates?
A: The five classes of vertebrates are fish, amphibians, reptiles, mammals and birds. These groupings predate modern genetics and represent functional groupin... Full Answer >Filed Under: -
Q:
How Many Pairs of Cranial Nerves Are There?
A: In higher vertebrates, such as reptiles, birds and mammals, there are 12 pairs of cranial nerves. Lower vertebrates, such as fish and amphibians, have 10 p... Full Answer >Filed Under: -
Q:
What Animal Can See Ultraviolet Color?
A: The vast majority of animals with ocular media, including fish, amphibians, insects and other invertebrates, reptiles, birds and some mammals are capable o... Full Answer >Filed Under: -
Q:
What Types of Animals Live in Wetlands?
A: Types of animals that live in wetlands include mammals, reptiles, amphibians, birds and marine animals. Most of the animals have specialized adaptations fo... Full Answer >Filed Under:
