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What is a Vertebrate? (Characteristics of Chordates (Vertebrates are a…

- - - - Most chordates include fishes, and phibians, reptiles, snakes, frogs, are vertebrates. Also mammals and birds are.
        
        Only a few chordates are invertebrates.
        
        Chordates will have a notochord toward which is a nerve cord that runs down their back and slits in their throat area which they will have at some point in their lives.
  - - - Some chordates have notochords all their lives and in contrast, in vertebrates, part or all of the notochord is replaced by their backbone.
  - - - Your spinal cord is a nerve cord and the nerve cord is the connection between the brain and the nerves, on which messages travel back and forth.
        
        Many other groups of animals like arthropods in segmented worms for example have nerve cords but their nerve cords don't run down their backs.
  - - - Including fishes, some chordates, keep the slits as part of their gills for their entire lives.
        
        Including humans, many vertebrates, pharyngeal slits disappear before birth.
- - - - The vertebrae are lined up in a row and joints also known as movable connections between the vertebrae, give the spine flexibility.
        
        For example, you can bend over to tie shoe because your backbone has flexibility.
        
        All vertebra have a hole and it allows the spinal cord to pass through it and that's final cord fits into the vertebrae.
  - - - That endoskeleton protects the internal organs of the body, helps give the body shape, and gives muscles a place to attach.
        
        Also to the back vertebrates endoskeleton includes the skull and ribs.
        
        The skull protects the brain and the ribs attach the vertebrae to protect the heart belongs also other internal organs.
        
        Many vertebrates also have arm and leg bones adapted for movement.
        
        Vertebrate endoskeleton has several characteristics and not like an arthropods exoskeleton and endoskeleton does it need to be replaced as the animal grows.
        
        It also forms an internal frame that supports the body against downward pull of gravity while allowing easy movement and cuz of these characteristics of vertebrates can grow bigger than animals with exoskeletons or no skeletons at all.
- - - - Its body temperature changes depending on the temperature of its environment and for example when a turtle is laying on a sunny Riverbank it has a higher body temperature that when it is swimming in a cool river.
        
        Ectotherms are cold-blooded sometimes And this term is misleading because their blood is often pretty warm.
  - - - An endotherm body temperature usually doesn't change much even when the temperature of its environment changes.
        
        Birds in mammals like beavers are endotherms.
        
        Endotherms have other adoptions like sweat glands in fur or feathers which is for maintaining their body temperature and on hot days some endotherms sweat.
        
        As that sweat evaporates the animal is cooled and on cool days for our feathers keep endotherms warm.
        
        Endotherms can keep their body temperature stable and they live in a greater variety of environments than ectotherms can.