vertebrates day 1

what are vertebrates

animals with a vertebrate (backbone)

vertebrate groups

• mammals’ smallest group of vertebrates

• fish is the largest and most diverse

how did we get this diversity?

Evolution states that populations change genetically and physically over time

ex: speciation and natural selection

Ex:

• mutations

• selection pressures

• migration of individuals among populations (emigration and immigration)

• random events (natural disasters, plagues, etc.)

Evolution misconceptions

• occurs in more than one induvial throughout a population — happens over generations

• species do not evolve on purpose and is not always beneficial

  • EX: antibiotic resistance does not happen because bacteria are exposed to antibiotics

• evolution is a scientific theory not a hypothesis

evolutionary relationships

• use shared features to understand how organisms are related

• all vertebrae’s evolved from common ancestor with vertebrae

• helps us understand what traits have been retained from ancestors