Class Aves: Aves is the Latin name for birds, "Birds are a monophyletic lineage, evolved once from a common ancestor, and all birds are related through that common origin," (Aves (birds). Birds are vertebrates organisms modified for flight with feathers, although not all fly (Aves). Its characteristics includes (WELCOME TO AVES); 

1. horny beak, no teeth

2. large muscular stomach

3. feathers

4. large yolked, hard-shelled eggs. The parent bird provides extensive care of the young until it is grown, or gets some other bird to look after the young.

5. strong skeleton

Meet Pygoscelis antarctica; 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Class Mammalia: Mammals are "warm-blooded vertebrates characterized by mammary glands in the female," (Class Mammalia). There are about 5,000 species of living mammals (Classification of Mammals). They are "characterized by the possession ofendothermy, hair, three middle ear bones, and in most cases sweat glands and specialized teeth," (Class Mammalia). Its characteristics includes (Mammals: The Furry Tetrapods); 

1. endothermy

2. hair

3. diaphragm

4. four-chambered heart

5. mammary glands

6. lower jaw made of a single bone

7. diphyodonty

8. three middle ear bones

Meet Panthera leo; 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Class Reptilia: Reptiles are "cold-blooded air-breathing vertebrates with completely ossifiedskeleton and a body usually covered with scales or horny plates," (Class Reptilia). They include snakes, worm lizards, lizards, alligators, caimans, crocodiles, tortoises, turtles, and tuataras (Reptiles: Cold-Blooded Yet Charismatic). Its characteristics includes (Class Reptilia Facts); 

1. Are ectotherms (commonly called "cold-blooded"). These animals need to warm themselves up using external heat (e.g., the sun).

2. Mostly bear their young in eggs, which are protected by an amniotic membrane (so reptiles are referred to as "amniotes").

3. Have scales, or did have at some point in their evolutionary history.

4. Breathe using lungs, rather than gills. Thus, reptiles in the ocean may be able to hold their breath to go underwater, but eventually need to go to the surface to breathe.

Meet Dendroaspis polylepis; 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Class Amphibia: They are the smalles class of living vertebrates (CLASS AMPHIBIA). "cold-blooded animals that possess backbones and display features that lie between those of fish and reptiles. They spend time both in water and on land," (Amphibians). They were also the first vertebrate to conquer the land (Frogs: Class Amphibia). Its characteristics includes 

1. Being tetrapods (4 limbs) that facilitate moving about on land - these limbs evolved from the pectoral and pelvic fins

2. Skin is thin, soft, glandular and magid (lack scales except in the caecilians) - skin of caecilians with scales similar to those of fish

3. Ectothermic

4. Both gill and lung breathers - usually gills in the larval stage, replaced by lungs in the adult; cutaneous respiration in many

5. Three-chambered heart with two atria and one ventricle

6. Reproduction:

   1. fertilization may be internal or external

   2. egg-layers (oviparous) but may have modifications associated with development

   3. egg anamniotic - doesn't have a shell but covered with a series of gelatinous layers

   4. hatchling in aquatic larval form which breath by gills

   5. most larvae herbivorous, some omnivorous to carnivorous

   6. larval stage may last from 10 days to 20+ years

Meet Litoria aurea; 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Class Osteichthyes: Also known as "bony fish,", they are fish with bones instead of cartilage (Osteichthyes - Bony Fish). Other features includes "the presence of a swim bladder (an air-filled sac to give buoyancy), gill covers over the gill chamber, bony platelike scales, a skull with sutures, and external fertilization of eggs," (Bony Fish | Superclass of Fish). 

Meet Pandaka pygmaea;

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Works Cited

 

"Aves (birds)." Animal Diversity Web. Web. 27 Mar. 2016.

"Aves." Encyclopedia of Life. Web. 27 Mar. 2016.

"WELCOME TO AVES." CHARACTERISTICS OF CLASS AVES. Web. 27 Mar. 2016.

"Chinstrap Penguin." Penguins. Web. 27 Mar. 2016.

"Class Mammalia." The Free Dictionary. Web. 27 Mar. 2016.

"Classification of Mammals." Web. 27 Mar. 2016.

"Class Mammalia." Animal Kingdom. Web. 27 Mar. 2016.

"Mammals: The Furry Tetrapods." About.com Education. Web. 27 Mar. 2016.

"Panthera Leo." IUCN Red List. Web. 27 Mar. 2016.

"Class Reptilia." The Free Dictionary. Web. 27 Mar. 2016.

"Reptiles: Cold-Blooded Yet Charismatic." About.com Education. Web. 27 Mar. 2016.

"Class Reptilia Facts." About.com Education. Web. 27 Mar. 2016.

"Black Mamba." Snake Facts and Information. Web. 27 Mar. 2016.

"CLASS AMPHIBIA." Natural History Collections. Web. 27 Mar. 2016.

"Amphibians." Encyclopedia.com. HighBeam Research, 2002. Web. 27 Mar. 2016.

"Frogs: Class Amphibia." Australian Museum. Web. 27 Mar. 2016.

"Green and Golden Bell Frog Photo." Wildscreen Arkive. Web. 27 Mar. 2016.

"Osteichthyes - Bony Fish." Osteichthyes. Wildlife Journal Junior. Web. 27 Mar. 2016.

"Bony Fish | Superclass of Fish." Encyclopedia Britannica. Web. 27 Mar. 2016.

"Dwarf Pygmy Goby - Pandaka Pygmaea." Encyclopedia of Life. Web. 27 Mar. 2016.