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We call vertebrates to all the animals that have backbone. Usually these are bigger animals than invertebrates.
Vertebrates can be very different so we can continue dividing them into smaller groups:
Mammals
Fish
Reptiles
Amphibians
Birds
We are going to study all these groups to see their differences. We are going to see:
How they breathe
How they reproduce
What type of cover they have
The number of limbs
Where they live (habitat)
What they eat
Warm-blooded VS. Cold-blooded
Mammals and birds are warm-blooded, which means that they can make their own body heat even when it is cold outside. Whether it is sunny and hot outside or there is a snowstorm and it is very cold, warm-blooded animals have body temperatures that usually stay the same.
Cold-blooded animals, like reptiles, amphibians, and fish, become hotter and colder, depending on the temperature outside. For example, when the sun sets at night, their bodies are cooler because it is less warm outside. When the sun is out, however, their bodies soak up the heat and become warmer.
Types of vertebrates:
Mammals:
Some questions to investigate more:
Are all mammals viviparous? No, the platypus is oviparous. (Click here to know more about the platypus)
Are all mammals born in the same way? There is a type of mammals called marsupials. Marsupials are mammals that are born very early so the baby's body is not complete. The babies need to stay for some more time inside the mother's bag (pouch). These animals live in Australia: kangaroos, Tasmanian devil,...
Reptiles:
Amphibians:
Fish:
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