taxonomy of vertebrates
DESCRIPTION
Notes on vertebrate taxonomy for the subject Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy.TRANSCRIPT
Phylum Chordata
• Characteristics of Phylum Chordata:
• The wall of the pharynx of an embryo or adult is pierced with openings (gill slits);
endostyle (a glandular groove in the floor of the pharynx)
• Presence of notochord in embryo or adult
• Central Nervous System is hollow
• Postanal Tail
Phylum Chordata• SUBPHYLUM:
• Subphylum Urochordata- tunicates
• Subphylum Cephalochordata- Amphioxus, lancelets
• Subphylum Craniata- all chordates with endoskeleton of cartilage or bone or both
Pandocia sp.
Branchiostoma lanceolata
Phylum Chordata
Subphylum Urochordata
• Tunicates
• notochord in tail region
• notochord and nerve cord present in
larvae
• e.g. Pandocia sp.
Subphylum Cephalochordata
• lancelets; marine animals that are
segmented, elongated, fish like
body
• e.g. Branchiostoma lanceolata
Subphylum Urochordata
• Class Ascidiacea
• Class Larvacea (Appendicularia)
• Class Thaliacea
Class LarvaceaPegea confederate
Salp
Class Thaliacea
Polycarpa aurata
Ox Heart Ascidian
Class Ascidiacea
Subphylum Cephalochordata
• Branchiostoma
• Asymmetron
Branchiostoma lanceolata
Epigonichthys maldivensis
FISHES AND FISH-LIKE
ANIMALS• Cold-blooded aquatic vertebrates
• Fins for locomotory organs
• Gills as respiratory organs
• Vertebral axis ends with a vertical fin
• Heart with 1 atrium and ventricle
• Embryo with no membranes (except yolk sak)
Superclass Agnatha
• Class Myxini- hagfishes
• Suborder Myxnoidea- hagfishes
• nasohypophyseal aperture terminal
• canal opening into pharynx
• branchial basket vestigial
• e.g. Bdellostoma, Myxine
• Class Pteraspidomorphi (Diplorhina)
• Order Pteraspidiformes (Hetrostraci)
• Order Thelodontiformes (Coelolepida)
• Order Galeaspidiformes
• ** EXTINCT! Characteristic: Heavy armored fishes!
• Fish-like animals
• Without jaws
• No or poorly developed fins
Cyclostomata
• round mouthed fishes
• naked/slimy skin
• round jawless mouth
• suckers
• w/o paired fins
• a row of gill slits
• single median nasal sac
• nasohypophyseal aperture and canal
* Often confused as a class or order
Superclass Agnatha
• Class Cephalaspidomorphi (Monorhina)
• Order Petromyzontiformes- lampreys
• Suborder Petromyzontia
• nasohypophyseal aperture dorsal
• presence of branchial basket
• e.g. Petromyzon, Lampreta
• Order Cephalaspidiformes (Osteotraci)
• Order Anaspidiformes
** EXTINCT! Characteristic: Heavy armored fishes!
**also known as ostracoderms
• Fish-like animals
• Without jaws
• No or poorly developed fins
Cyclostomata
• round mouthed fishes
• naked/slimy skin
• round jawless mouth
• suckers
• w/o paired fins
• a row of gill slits
• single median nasal sac
• nasohypophyseal aperture and canal
* Often confused as a class or order
Order Galeaspidiformes
Order Cephalaspidiformes (Osteotraci) Order Pteraspidiformes (Hetrostraci)
Order Thelodontiformes (Coelolepida)
Order Anaspidiformes
Bdellostoma polyrema – Chilean Hagfish
Myxine glutinosa – Atlantic Hagfish
Lampreta fluviatilis Linn.
Petromyzon marinus – Sea Lamprey
Superclass Gnathostomata
• Class Acanthodii
• extinct; spiny Paleozoic fishes
• Class Placodermi
• extinct fishes with jaws and a full-sized hyoid gill slits;
armored
• e.g. Antiarchs, Arthrodires
• Class Chrondrichthyes- cartilaginous fishes
• sharklike fishes with jaws and paired fins
• skeleton wholly cartilaginous
• no membrane bones
• hyoid slits reduced
• exoskeleton of small scales; homologous to teeth
• no lungs or air bladder
-jawed vertebrate
Class Chrondrichthyes• Subclass Elasmobranchii
• Order Cladoselachiformes- Cladoselache
• Order Squaliformes- squalouslike sharks
• Order Rajiformes- skates, sawfishes, and rays
• Order Carcharhiniformes- Requiem Shark
• Order Heterodontiformes- Port Jackson Shark
• Order Hexanchiformes- Sixgill Shark
• Order Lamniformes- Great White Shark
• Order Orectolobiformes- Nurse Shark
• Order Pristiophoriformes- Sawshark
• Order Squantiniformes- Angel Shark
• cartilaginous fishes
• sharklike
Subclass Elasmobranchii
• naked gill slits
• hyostylic type of upper-jaw
suspension
• with spiracles
• Pelvic fins of males have claspers
Squalus acanthias- Spiny Dogfish Order SqualiformesOrder Cladoselachiformes
Order Rajiformes
Leucoraja erinacea –Little Skate
Order Carcharhiniformes
Galeocerdo cuvier – Tiger Shark
Order Heterodontiformes
Heterodontus portusjacksoni- Port Jackson
Shark
Hexanchus griseus – Bluntnose Sixgill
Shark
Order Hexachiformes
Order Lanmiformes
Carcharodon carcharias –Great White Shark
Ginglymostoma cirratum – Nurse Shark
Order Orectolobiformes
Squatina squatina- Angelshark
Order Squatiniformes
Pristis pectinate- Smalltooth Sawshark
Order Pristiformes
Triakis scyllium- Banded Houndshark
Raja sp.
Rhinobatos punctifer – Spotted Guitarfish
Torpedo sp.Raja sp.
Class Chrondrichthyes
• Subclass Holocephali
• gill slits concealed under operculum (non-bony skin flap)
• naked skin
• absent spiracle
• immovable holostylic jaw suspension
• flat bony plates in place of teeth
• claspers
• e.g. Chimaera
• cartilaginous fishes
• sharklike
Chimaera monstrosa
Rabbit Fish
Chimaera cubana- Cuban chimaera.
Superclass Gnathostomata
-jawed vertebrate
Superclass Osteichthyes
• bony fishes
• skeleton ossified
• chrondocranium, jaws, and pectoral girdle incased in dermal bones
• scales/rhomboid plates
• gills covered by a bony operculum
• air bladder= lungs
• no claspers
• Class Sacropterygii (Choanichthyes)- lobed-
finned fishes
• Superorder Crossopterygii
• paired fins with a rounded basal lobe
• two dorsal fins
• hyostylic jaw suspension
• e.g. Latimeria, Osteolepis
• Superorder Dipnoi- Lungfish
• paired fins with elongated jointed axis bearing side
branches
• autostylic jaw suspension; spiracle absent
• with tooth plates
• e.g. Neoceratodus, Protopterus, Lepidosiren
Latimeria chalumnae - West Indian Ocean
coelacanth
Osteolepis
Superorder Crossopterygii
Neoceratodus forsteri – Queensland Lungfish
Protopterus annectens
African Lungfish
Lepidosiren paradoxa
South American Lungfish
Superorder Dipnoi
Superclass Gnathostomata
-jawed vertebrate
Superclass Osteichthyes
• bony fishes
• skeleton ossified
• chrondocranium, jaws, and pectoral girdle incased in dermal bones
• scales/rhomboid plates
• gills covered by a bony operculum
• air bladder= lungs
• no claspers
• Class Actinopterygii- ray-finned fishes
• paired without axis or basal lobes
• one dorsal fin
• w/o cloaca
• hyostylic jaw suspension
• Subclass Chrondrostei
• Subclass Neopterygii
• Subclass Teleostei
Superclass Osteichtyes
-bony fishes
Class Actinopterygii
• ray-finned fishes
• paired without axis or basal
lobes
• one dorsal fin
• w/o cloaca
• hyostylic jaw suspension
• Subclass Chrondrostei- cartilaginous endoskeleton
• Order Palaeonisciformes
• Order Polypteriformes- pectoral fins w/ basal lobes
• e.g. Polypterus, Calamoichthys
• Order Acipenseriformes- fins are not lobed
• e.g. Acipenser, Polyodon
• Subclass Neopterygii- ganoids
• Order Lepisosteiformes
• thick ganoid scales of rhombic shape
• e.g. Lepidosteus
• Order Amiiformes
• thin and round cycloid scales
• e.g. Amia
Polypterus endlicheri endlicheri –Saddled Bichir
Calamoichthys calabaricus
Order Polypteriformes
Acipenser oxyrinchus oxyrinchus- Atlantic Sturgeon
Polyodon spathula – American Paddlefish
Order Acipenseriformes
Superclass Osteichtyes
-bony fishes
Class Actinopterygii
• ray-finned fishes
• paired without axis or basal
lobes
• one dorsal fin
• w/o cloaca
• hyostylic jaw suspension
• Subclass Teleostei- modern ray fishes; typical
bony fishes
• Order Clupeiformes
• e.g. herring, sardines
• Order Cypriniformes
• e.g. minnows, carps, goldfish
• Order Anguilliformes
• e.g. eels
• Order Gadiformes
• e.g. codfishes
• Order Perciformes
• e.g. perchlike teleosts
Clupea harengus – Atlantic Herring Sardina pilchardus
European Pilchard
Cyprinus carpio – Common Carp
Pimephales promelas - Bluntnose Minnow
Carassius auratus- Goldfish
Anguilla anguilla- European Eel
Gadus morhua- Atlantic Cod
Order Clupeiformes
Order Cypriniformes
Order Anguilliformes
Order Gadiformes
Caesioperca lepidoptera- Butterfly Perch
Order Perciformes
TETRAPODS• terrestrial or aquatic vertebrates
• limbs as locomotory appendages
• lungs as respiratory organs
• vertebral column terminating in a tail (sometimes absent)
• heart with 2 atria and
Class Amphibia
• cold-blooded aquatic or
terrestrial vertebrates
• naked or with bony dermal
scales
• lungs as respiratory organs
• anamniote tetrapods
• Subclass Labyrinthodontia- earliest tetrapods
• with an armor of small, mostly, ventral scales,
and primitive vertebrae
• e.g. Eryops
• Order Ichthyostegalia
• e.g. Ichthyostega
• Order Temnospondyli
• e.g. Archegosaurus
• Order Anthracosauria
• e.g. Seymouria
Class Amphibia
• cold-blooded aquatic or terrestrial
vertebrates
• naked or with bony dermal
scales
• lungs as respiratory organs
• anamniote tetrapods
• Subclass Lissamphibia- modern amphibians
• Order Proanura
• Order Anura- frogs and toads
• naked tailess amphibians
• without external gills
• two pairs of limbs; two occipital condyles
• e.g. Discoglossus, Pipa, Rana, Hyla, Xenopus, Bufo
• Order Urodela- newts and salamanders
• naked, tailed amphibians
• with or without external gills
• two pairs of limbs
• two occipital condyles
• e.g. Siren, Triton, Necturus, Salamandra, Ambystoma,
Plethodon, Cryptobranchus, Amphiuma
Order Proanura
Bufo bufo- Common Toad
Rana pipiens- Northern Leopard Frog
Hyla arborea
European Tree Frog
Xenopus laevis
African Clawed Frog
Discoglossus galganoi
Iberian Painted Frog
Pipa pipa- Star-fingered Toad
Siren sp.Triturus sp.
Necturus maculosus
Common Mudpuppy
Salamandra corsica
Corsican fire salamander
Ambystoma maculatum
Spotted Salamander
Plethodon cinereus- Redback Salamander
Cryptobranchus alleganiensis
Hellbender
Amphiuma means- two-toed amphiuma
Class Amphibia
• cold-blooded aquatic or terrestrial
vertebrates
• naked or with bony dermal
scales
• lungs as respiratory organs
• anamniote tetrapods
• Order Apoda- coecilians or blind worms
• vermiform amphibians
• without limbs or limb girdles
• vertebrae amphicoelous
• persistent notochord
Dermophis mexicanus- Mexican burrowing
caecilian
Class Reptilia
• Subclass Anapsida- no temporal fossae
• Order Captorhinida- Stem Reptiles
• Order Chelonia- turtles
• trunk short and broad
• inclosed in an armor (outer: horny; inner: bony
plates)
• limb girdles in horny shields
• e.g. Chelydra, Testudo, Emys, Chrysemys, Trionyx,
Thalassochelys, Chelone
• cold-blooded
• aquatic or terrestrial tetrapods
• naked, scaly or bony plates
• lungs as respiratory organ
• skeleton ossified with vertebrae
• one occipital condyle
• heart with sinus venosus; ventricle with
partition
Chelydra serpentine
Common Snapping Turtle
Testudo marginata
Marginated Tortoise
Emys orbicularis
European Pond Turtle
Chrysemys picta
Painted Turtle
Trionyx triunguis
African Softshell Turtle
Caretta caretta
Longgerhead Sea Turtle
Chelonia mydas
Green Sea Turtle
Class Reptilia
• Subclass Lepidosauria- two temporal fossae
• Order Rhynchocephalia
• long tailed lizardlike reptiles
• weak limbs
• teeth fused to jaw
• e.g. Sphenodon
• Order Squamata- lizards and snakes
• long tailed reptiles with horny scales
• teeth set in sockets
• Suborder Lacertilia- limbs present
• Suborder Ophidia- limbs absent
• cold-blooded
• aquatic or terrestrial tetrapods
• naked, scaly or bony plates
• lungs as respiratory organ
• skeleton ossified with vertebrae
• one occipital condyle
• heart with sinus venosus; ventricle with
partition
Sphenodon punctatus
Northern Tuatara
Lampropeltis triangulum syspila
Milksnake
Pogona vitticeps
Central Bearded Dragon
Class Reptilia
• Subclass Euryapsida- one temporal fossa
• Order Sauropterygia
• e.g. Plesiosaurus
• Order Ichthyopterygia- aquatic fishlike reptiles
• cold-blooded
• aquatic or terrestrial tetrapods
• naked, scaly or bony plates
• lungs as respiratory organ
• skeleton ossified with vertebrae
• one occipital condyle
• heart with sinus venosus; ventricle with
partition
Plesiosaurus
Ichthyosaurus communis
Class Reptilia
• Subclass Archosauria
• skull diapsid with two temporal openings
• birds stem from this subclass
• Order Thecodontia- stem archosaurs
• Order Pterosauria- winged reptiles
• e.g. Pterodactyl
• Order Saurischia- dinosaurs w/ reptile-like pelvis
• Order Ornithischia- dinosaurs w/ birdlike pelvis
• Order Crocodilia- crocodiles
• amphibious reptiles w/ bony plates underneath horny skin
• heart with two ventricles
• e.g. Alligator, Caiman, Crocodilus
• cold-blooded
• aquatic or terrestrial tetrapods
• naked, scaly or bony plates
• lungs as respiratory organ
• skeleton ossified with vertebrae
• one occipital condyle
• heart with sinus venosus; ventricle with
partition
Pterodactylus sp.
Pterodactyl
Order Thecodontia
Karamuru vorax
Order Saurischia
Eoraptor lunensis- Raptor
Order Ornithischia
Stegosaurus
Alligator mississippiensis
American AlligatorCaiman yacare
Yacare Caiman
Crocodylus johnsoni
Freshwater Crocodile
Class Reptilia
• Subclass Synapsida- independently evolved one temporal fossa
• Order Pelycosauria
• Order Therapsida- lead to mammals
• cold-blooded
• aquatic or terrestrial tetrapods
• naked, scaly or bony plates
• lungs as respiratory organ
• skeleton ossified with vertebrae
• one occipital condyle
• heart with sinus venosus; ventricle with
partition
Class Aves
• Subclass Archaeornithes- earliest known birds
• e.g. Protoavis, Archaeopteryx
• Subclass Neornithes- all the other birds
• Superorder Odontognathae- toothed Cretaceous
marine birds
• e.g. Hesperornis, Ichthyornis
• Superorder Palaeognathae- ratites
• e.g. ostrich, emu, rhea, cassowary
• Superorder Neognathae- Carinates
• warm-blooded
• oviparous (egg laying)
• feathers
• one occipital condyle
• forelimbs modified to wings
• heart with two ventricles
• embryo with membranes
Archaeopteryx lithographica
Protoavis
Subclass Archaeornithes
Ichthyornis dispar
Hesperornis regalis
Superorder Odontognathae
Struthio camelus
Common OstrichDromaius novaehollandiae
Emu
Casuarius casuarius
Southern Cassowary
Rhea Americana
Greater Rhea
Superorder Neognathae
• Order Columbiformes
• e.g. doves, pigeons
• Order Pelecaniformes
• e.g. pelicans, cormorants
• Order Anseriformes
• e.g. ducks, geese, other waterfowl
• Order Galliformes
• e.g. quail, peacock, domestic fowl
• Order Falconiformes
• e.g. hawks, eagles, vultures
• Order Psittaciformes
• e.g. parrots, paroquets
• Order Passeriformes
• e.g. perching birds, song birds
• Carinates
Columba livia domestica
Feral Pigeon
Microcarbo melanoleucos
Little Pied Cormorant
Aix galericulata
Mandarin Duck
Pavo cristatusIndian Peafowl
Gyps fulvus
Griffon Vulture
Ara ararauna
Blue-and-yellow Macaw
Eopsaltria australis
Eastern Yellow Robin
Class Mammalia
• Subclass Prototheria- oviparous mammals
• Order Monotremata
• e.g. platypuses and echidna
• warm-blooded
• viviparous aquatic or terrestrial tetrapods
• hair as covering
• heart with 2 atria and 2 ventricles
• young nourished by milk
• embryo with membrane
Ornithorhynchus anatinus
Platypus
Zaglossus bruijni
Western Long-beaked
Echidna
Class Mammalia
• Subclass Theria
• Infraclass Metatheria- viviparous mammals with
abdominal skin pouch
• Order Marsupialia- Marsupials
• e.g. kangaroo, wallaby, wombats, opossums
• warm-blooded
• viviparous aquatic or terrestrial tetrapods
• hair as covering
• heart with 2 atria and 2 ventricles
• young nourished by milk
• embryo with membrane
Macropus giganteus
Eastern Grey Kangaroo
Vombatus ursinus
Common Wombat
Subclass Theria
• Infraclass Eutheria- true (chorioallantoic) placenta
• Order Insectivora- insectivores
• plantigrade clawed feet; elongated snout
• e.g. shrew, mole, hedgehog
• Order Xenarthra- edentates
• arboreal; teeth w/o enamel
• e.g. armadillo, sloths, South American anteaters
• Order Tubulidentata- long snout and tongue; ant-eating
• e.g. aardvark, African anteater
• Order Pholidota- ant-eating mammals
• head, body, and tail covered w/ imbricated horny scales
• e.g. pangolins (scaly anteaters)
• Order Chiroptera- flying mammals
• e.g. bats
• Order Primata
Blarina brevicauda
Northern Short-tailed ShrewManis javanica
Sunda PangolinDasypus novemcinctus
Nine-banded Armadillo
Bradypus variegatus
Brown-throated Sloth
Orycteropus afer
Aardvark
Corynorhinus townsendii
Townsend’s Big-eared Bat
Order Primata
• Suborder Prosimii
• e.g. lemur, lori, tarsier
• Suborder Anthropoidea
• Infraorder Platyrrhini- nostrils open to the sides
• e.g. new world monkeys and marmosets
• Infraorder Catarrhini- nostrils open downwards
• Superfamily Cercopithecoidea
• e.g. old world monkeys
• Superfamily Hominoidea
• terrestrial or arboreal hairy mammals
• five digits in each foot
• forefeet
• brain highly convoluted with very large
cerebral hemispheres
• e.g. lemurs, apes, humans
Carlito syrichta
Philippine Tarsier
Papio anubis
Olive Baboon
Old World Monkey
Mico melanurus
Black-tailed Marmoset
Ateles hybridus
Brown Spider Monkey
New World Monkey
Order Primata• Superfamily Hominoidea
• Family Hylobatidae
• e.g. gibbon
• Family Pongidae
• e.g. apes, orangutans, chimps, gorilla
• Family Hominidae
• e.g. Australopithecus, Homo erectus, Homo sapiens
• terrestrial or arboreal hairy mammals
• five digits in each foot
• forefeet
• brain highly convoluted with very
large cerebral hemispheres
• e.g. lemurs, apes, humans
Gorilla gorilla
Western Gorilla
Hylobates lar
Lar GibbonPongo pygmaeus
Bornean Orangutan
Australopithecus afarensis
Homo erectus
Subclass Theria
• Order Lagomorpha
• large external ears; four upper incisors
• e.g. rabbit, pika, hare
• Order Rodentia
• one pair of upper incisors; lacks canines; diastema
• Suborder Sciuromorpha
• Infraorder Sciuromorpha
• e.g. squirrel, marmot, prairie dog
• Infraorder Castorimorpha
• e.g. beavers
• Infraorder Myomorpha
• e.g. gophers, rats
• Suborder Hystricognathi
• Infraorder Caviomorpha
• e.g. porcupines, cavies, nutria
Infraclass Eutheria
Ochotona princeps
American Pika
Marmota flaviventris
Yellow-bellied Marmot
Castor canadensis
North American Beaver
Dolichotis sp.
Mara
Thomomys bottae
Botta's pocket gopher
Subclass Theria
• Order Carnivora- terrestrial carnivores
• canine teeth prominent
• e.g. canines, hyena, bear
• Order Pinnipedia- aquatic carnivores
• webbed feet modified to flippers
• Family Phocidae- earless (wriggling) seals
• Family Otariidae- eared (fur) seals and sea lions
• Family Odobenidae- walrus
• Order Perissodactyla- ungulates with mesaxonicfoot (Odd number of toes)
• herbivarous
• e.g. horse, rhinoceros, tapir
Infraclass Eutheria
Crocuta crocuta
Spotted Hyena
Tapirus indicus
Malayan Tapir
Diceros bicornis
Black Rhinoceros
Odobenus rosmarus
Walrus
Phoca vitulina
Harbor Seal
Neophoca cinerea
Austrailian Sea LionUrsus arctos
Brown Bear
Subclass Theria
• Order Artiodactyla- ungulates with paraxonic foot (even numbered toes)
• Suborder Suiformes
• simple stomach; dentition complete
• e.g. pig, hippo, peccaries
• Suborder Tylopoda
• upper incisor retained; semi-complex stomach
• e.g. camel, llama
• Suborder Ruminantia- cud chewers w/ complex stomach
• Family Cervidae- deer, caribou
• Family Giraffidae- giraffe
• Family Antilocapridae- pronghorn antelope
• Family Bovidae- ox, sheep, goat, true antelope
• Family Tragulidae- chevrotains (mouse deer)
Infraclass Eutheria
Tragulus nigricans
Philippine Mouse Deer
Giraffa Camelopardalis
Giraffe
Ovis aries
Domesticated Sheep
Pecari tajacu
Collared Peccary
Rangifer tarandus granti
Porcupine CaribouAntilocapra americana
Pronghorn
Lama glama
Domesticated Llama
Subclass Theria
• Order Hyracoidea- coneys
• short-tailed herbivorous mammals; no clavicles
• e.g. Hyraxes
• Order Proboscidea- tusked animals
• e.g. elephant, mastodon
• Order Sirenia- sea cows
• e.g. manatee, dugong
• Order Cetacea- fish-like aquatic mammals
• e.g. whales, dolphin, porpoise
Infraclass Eutheria