Comprehension 4 - Vertebrates

All animals can be divided into two main types - those with backbones and those without backbones. Animals that have backbones are called vertebrates while those without backbones are called invertebrates.

Q: Which of the following pairings are correct? (Choose 2)

• Animals with backbones - vertebrates

• Animals with backbones - invertebrates

• Animals without backbones - vertebrates

• Animals without backbones - invertebrates

All animals can be divided into two main types - those with backbones and those without backbones. Animals that have backbones are called vertebrates while those without backbones are called invertebrates.

Q: Which type do you think humans belong to?

• Vertebrates - with backbones

• Invertebrates - without backbones

• Neither

• Both

There are more invertebrates than vertebrates. This is quite true as invertebrates include worms, crabs, prawns, clams, snails, octopuses, spiders and all kinds of insects!

Q: Which of the following statements is TRUE?

• Animals with backbones are more than animals without backbones.

• We can find more animals without backbones on Earth.

• Both types of animals are equal in number.

• Scientists are not sure which type of animals have the higher number.

There are more invertebrates than vertebrates. This is quite true as invertebrates include worms, crabs, prawns, clams, snails, octopuses, spiders and all kinds of insects!

Q: Which of the following animals is NOT an invertebrate?

• grasshopper

• garden snail

• frog

• squid

What about vertebrates? Well, there are 5 main types of vertebrates. They are the fishes, the amphibians, the reptiles, the birds and the mammals. All of them have backbones.

Q: Which of the following is NOT a vertebrate?

• eagle

• rabbit

• crocodile

• octopus

The first type of vertebrates are the fishes, such as salmon, piranha, goldfish, and even sharks and rays. They were the first type of animals that developed backbones long ago.

Q: Which of the following statements is FALSE?

• All types of fishes have backbones.

• The first animals with backbones came from the waters.

• Sharks and rays do not have backbones.

• Swordfish and tuna have backbones.

As some fishes slowly move to dry land, some evolved into amphibians. The amphibians are the second type of animals that have backbones. They include frogs, toads and salamanders.

Q: Which do you think is NOT an amphibian?

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• 
• 
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As the amphibians evolved to have dry skins, they became the reptiles. They did this by developing scales. Their eggs also have hard shells so the eggs won't dry out. Reptiles include lizards, crocodiles, snakes, turtles and tortoises.

Q: Which of the following is NOT a reptile?

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Dinosaurs were reptiles too. Some of them developed feathers and became birds. Birds are the most colourful vertebrates on earth.

Q: Which of the following animals are birds?

• vultures

• turkeys

• bats

• ostriches

• penguins

Birds still have to lay eggs but the next group of animals change their way into giving birth. They also feed their babies nutritious milk. They are called mammals. We humans are mammals.

Q: Which of the following is TRUE?

• We humans have to lay eggs.

• Birds are mammals.

• Birds can feed their babies milk.

• Mammals give birth to babies.