Classification of vertebrates

Q What are vertebrates? Give examplesA: Animals with backbones are called vertebrates. Ex snake, dog, duck, horse and

human being.

Q How many kind of vertebrates are there on the earth?A: Only 10% of all animals are vertebrates. There are about 47, 000 kinds

of vertebrates.

Q What are the main groups of vertebrates?A: a) Cold blooded animals =Ex Fish, reptiles and amphibians.

b) Warm blooded animals = Ex Birds and mammals.

Q What are cold blooded animals?A: Their body temperature changes according to the temperature of their surroundings. On

hot day, their body temperature is high. On a cold day, their body temperature is lower.

Q What are warm blooded animals?A: Their body temperature is constant and does not change according to their

surroundings.

Write the characteristics of amphibians.A: 1) Adult amphibians live on land and in water. Their young live in water. 2) have moist skin. 3) Adult

amphibians breathe through the lungs and the skin. Young amphibians breathe through gills.4) lay eggs in water. Their eggs do not have shells.

Give examples of amphibians.A: Toads and frogs.

Q Write the characteristics of reptiles.A: 1) Reptiles live on land (though some spend time in water) 2) have dry, scaly skin to prevent their bodies from losing too much water. 3) breathe through lungs. 4) lay eggs with thick shells to prevent them from

drying up.

Q Give examples of reptiles.A: Crocodile, turtle and lizard.

Q Write the characteristic of mammals.A: 1) Most give birth to their young. 2) have hair or fur on their body. 3) feed their

young with their milk.

Give examples of mammals.A: Land: Rat, tiger, elephant, cat, dog, and human. Water: Whale, dolphin, walrus and

dugong.

Q Name egg lying mammals.A: Spiny anteater and duck billed platypus.

Q Name the flying mammal.A: Bat is a flying mammal as it has hair on its body and feed its

young with milk.

Q Write the characteristic of birds.A: Birds 1) All birds lay eggs. 2) have feathers. 3) have a beak to eat. 4) have a pair

of wings to fly. 6) have a pair of legs to walk. 7) Most birds can fly, but some cannot.

Q Name some birds that can’t fly.A: Emu, kiwi, ostrich, penguin.

Q Name the bird which lay biggest egg.A: An ostrich lays the biggest eggs.

Q Write characteristic of a fish.A: All fish 1) live in water. 2) have an outer covering of scales. 3) have fins to swim. 4)

have gills to breathe. 5) Most fish lay eggs (but some give birth to their young).

Whale breathe through blow hole

Q Name egg lying fish.A: Gold fish and angel fish.

Q Name some fish that give birth to their young.A: Molly, guppy and swordtail.