9. Vertebrates

Acanthostega: one of the earliest known tetrapods

Actinopterygii ray-finned fishes

allantois membrane of the egg that stores nitrogenous wastes produced by the embryo; also facilitates respiration amnion membrane of the egg that protects the embryo from mechanical shock and prevents dehydration amniote animal that produces a terrestrially adapted egg protected by amniotic membranes

Amphibia frogs, salamanders, and caecilians

ampulla of Lorenzini sensory organ that allows sharks to detect electromagnetic fields produced by living things

anapsid animal having no temporal fenestrae in the cranium anthropoid monkeys, apes, and humans

Anura frogs: apocrine gland scent gland that secretes substances that are used for chemical communication

Apoda caeciliansArchaeopteryx transition species from dinosaur to bird from the Jurassic period

archosaur modern crocodilian or bird, or an extinct

pterosaur or dinosaurAustralopithecus genus of hominins that evolved in eastern Africa approximately four million years ago

brachiation movement through trees branches via suspension from the arms

brumation period of much reduced metabolism and torpor that occurs in any ectotherm in cold weather.

caecilian: legless amphibian that belongs to the clade ApodaCasineria one of the oldest known amniotes; had both amphibian and reptilian characteristics

Catarrhini clade of Old World monkeys

Cephalochordata chordate clade whose members possess a notochord, dorsal hollow nerve cord, pharyngeal slits, and a post-anal tail in the adult stage

Chondrichthyes jawed fish with paired fins and a skeleton made of cartilage

Chordata phylum of animals distinguished by their possession of a notochord, a dorsal hollow nerve cord, pharyngeal slits, and a post-anal tail at some point during their development chorion membrane of the egg that surrounds the embryo and yolk sac

contour feather: feather that creates an aerodynamic surface for efficient flight

Craniata clade composed of chordates that possess a cranium; includes Vertebrata together with hagfishes cranium bony, cartilaginous, or fibrous structure surrounding the brain, jaw, and facial bones

Crocodilia: crocodiles and alligators

cutaneous respiration: gas exchange through the skin

dentary single bone that comprises the lower jaw of mammals

diapsid animal having two temporal fenestrae in the cranium

diphyodont refers to the possession of two sets of teeth in a lifetime

dorsal hollow nerve cord hollow, tubular structure derived from ectoderm, which is located dorsal to the notochord in chordates down feather feather specialized for insulation eccrine gland sweat gland

Enantiornithes: dominant bird group during the

Cretaceous: period eutherian mammal mammal that possesses a complex placenta, which connects a fetus to the mother;sometimes called placental mammals flight feather feather specialized for flightfrog tail-less amphibian that belongs to the clade

Anura furcula: wishbone formed by the fusing of the clavicles

gnathostome jawed fish Gorilla genus of gorillas hagfish eel-like jawless fish that live on the ocean floor and are scavengers

heterodont tooth different types of teeth that are modified for different purposes

hominin species that are more closely related to humans than chimpanzees

hominoid pertaining to great apes and humans

Homo genus of humans

Homo sapiens sapiens anatomically modern humans

Hylobatidae family of gibbons

Hylonomus one of the earliest reptiles

lamprey jawless fish characterized by a toothed, funnel- like, sucking mouth

lancelet member of Cephalochordata; named for its blade- like shape

lateral line sense organ that runs the length of a fish’s body; used to detect vibration in the water

lepidosaur modern lizards, snakes, and tuataras mammal one of the groups of endothermic vertebrates that possesses hair and mammary glands

mammary gland in female mammals, a gland that produces milk for newborns

marsupial one of the groups of mammals that includes the kangaroo, koala, bandicoot, Tasmanian devil, and several other species; young develop within a pouch monotreme egg-laying mammal Myxini hagfishes

Neognathae birds other than the Paleognathae

Neornithes modern birds notochord flexible, rod-shaped support structure that is found in the embryonic stage of all chordates and in the adult stage of some chordates

Ornithorhynchidae clade that includes the duck-billed platypus

Osteichthyes bony fish

ostracoderm one of the earliest jawless fish covered in bone

Paleognathae ratites; flightless birds, including ostriches and emusPan genus of chimpanzees and bonobos

Petromyzontidae clade of lampreys

pharyngeal slit opening in the pharynx

Platyrrhini clade of New World monkeys

Plesiadapis oldest known primate-like mammal

pneumatic bone air-filled bonePongo genus of orangutans

post-anal tail muscular, posterior elongation of the body extending beyond the anus in chordates primary feather feather located at the tip of the wing that provides thrust Primates order of lemurs, tarsiers, monkeys, apes, and humans

prognathic: jaw long jaw

prosimian: division of primates that includes bush babies and pottos of Africa, lemurs of Madagascar, and lorises of Southeast Asia salamander tailed amphibian that belongs to the clade Urodela

Sarcopterygii lobe-finned fish

sauropsid reptile or bird

sebaceous gland in mammals, a skin gland that produce a lipid mixture called sebum

secondary feather: feather located at the base of the wing that provides lift

Sphenodontia clade of tuataras

Squamata clade of lizards and snakes

stereoscopic vision two overlapping fields of vision from the eyes that produces depth perception swim bladder in fishes, a gas filled organ that helps to control the buoyancy of the fish synapsid mammal having one temporal fenestra

Tachyglossidae clade that includes the echidna or spiny anteater tadpole larval stage of a frog

temporal fenestra non-orbital opening in the skull that may allow muscles to expand and lengthen

Testudines order of turtles tetrapod phylogenetic reference to an organism with a four-footed evolutionary history; includes amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals

theropod dinosaur group ancestral to birds

tunicate sessile chordate that is a member of Urochordata

Urochordata clade composed of tunicates

Urodela salamanders

vertebral column series of separate bones joined together as a backbone

Vertebrata: members of the phylum Chordata that possess a backbone