What Is This Module About?

After learning all about invertebrates, we will now discuss the other major group of
animals — the vertebrates. This module deals with animals with backbones. Animals with
backbones or vertebrates fall under the phylum Chordata.
This phylum is divided into three subphyla: Urochordata, Cephalochordata and
Vertebrata. Of the three subphyla, we will concentrate only on the subphylum Vertebrata, to
which animals with vertebral columns belong.
There are five classes of vertebrates that comprise the subphylum Vertebrata. These
include: Pisces, Amphibia, Reptilia, Aves and Mammalia. You will learn all about them in
this module.
This module is made up of four lessons:
Lesson 1 – Fishes
Lesson 2 – Amphibians
Lesson 3 – Reptiles
Lesson 4 – Birds and Mammals

What Will You Learn From This Module?

After studying this module, you should be able to:

♦ identify the major characteristics of animals with backbones;
♦ enumerate the characteristics of fishes;
♦ explain how amphibians can live both in water and on land;
♦ enumerate the characteristics of amphibians;
♦ enumerate the characteristics of reptiles;
♦ enumerate the characteristics of birds;
♦ enumerate the characteristics of mammals;
♦ explain how mammals can adapt to different environments; and
♦ differentiate monotremes, marsupials and placental mammals.

1
 Let’s See What You Already Know

Before you start studying this module, take this simple test first to find out how you
already know about the topics in this module.
Encircle the letter of the correct answer to each of the following.
1. Which of the following is not a vertebrate?
a. turtle
b. fish
c. snail
d. parrot
2. Which of the following is a cold-blooded animal?
a. lizard
b. monkey
c. anteater
d. eagle
3. Which of the following is a cartilaginous fish?
a. stingray
b. milkfish (bangos)
c. tilapia
d. catfish
4. Which of the following is not a characteristic of reptiles?
a. cold-blooded
b. have dry scaly skins
c. lay eggs with leathery shells
d. have mammary glands
5. Which of the following is not a characteristic of amphibians?
a. have moist skin
b. can live both on land and in water
c. can lay eggs
d. warm-blooded
6. Which of the following birds cannot fly?
a. eagle
b. owl
c. ostrich
d. hornbill

2
 7. Which of the following is a jawless fish?
a. hagfish
b. trout
c. tilapia
d. shark
8. Which of the following is a marsupial?
a. monkey
b. kangaroo
c. lion
d. tiger
9. Which of the following does not have mammary glands?
a. whale
b. dolphin
c. shark
d. human being
10. What do you call mammals that lay eggs?
a. placental mammals
b. monotremes
c. marsupials
d. manatees
Well, how was it? Do you think you fared well? Compare your answers with those in
the Answer Key on page 31 to find out.
If all your answers are correct, very good! This shows that you already know much
about the topics in this module. You may still study the module to review what you already
know. Who knows, you might learn a few more new things as well.
If you got a low score, don’t feel bad. This means that this module is for you. It will
help you understand some important concepts that you can apply in your daily life. If you
study this module carefully, you will learn the answers to all the items in the test and a lot
more! Are you ready?
You may go now to the next page to begin Lesson 1.

3
 LESSON 1

Fishes

Vertebrates are chordates possessing spinal columns that include mammals, birds,
reptiles, amphibians and fishes. The spinal column is the axial skeleton of the trunk and tail
of a vertebrate consisting of an articulate of vertebrate and protecting the spinal cord or
backbone. In the middle of your back, feel a series of bones making up your spinal column.
The backbone forms part of your internal skeleton called the endoskeleton. This
endoskeleton can be made up of bones, cartilages or both. Vertebrates, have closed
circulatory systems with a heart and tubes or blood vessels where blood circulates. They
also have well-developed nervous systems.
Now that we have defined animals with backbones, let us move on to the study of
fishes. When you hear the word “fish,” what is the first thing that comes into your mind?
There are more than 30000 different species of fishes—more than all the other species of
vertebrates combined! Would you believe that 80% of all these species of fishes are found in
Philippine waters? This is how rich our seas are. The richest marine habitat in our country is
the Tubbataha Reef found in Sulu Sea. It harbors almost all the different species of fishes in
the world. It was, in fact, declared a protected area by the Department of Environment and
Natural Resources.

Let’s Try This

Get a bangos or any other available fish in your home. Study its external parts. Be
guided by the illustration below.

Parts of a fish

4
 Answer the following questions briefly.
1. What are their gills for? Why are these reddish in color?
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
2. How many fins does a bangos have? What are they for?
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
3. What is its tail for?
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
Compare your answers with those in the Answer Key on page 31. How well did you
do?

Let’s Learn

Fishes are cold-blooded vertebrates that have three means of adaptation which allow
them to live in water. These include their gills, fins and scales. They use their gills for
breathing underwater. A fish’s gills, located along its “throat” area are structures that take
in oxygen from water and give off carbon dioxide. The fins, fanlike structures on fishes are
used for steering, balancing and moving through water. The large tail fin moves back and
forth to propel the fish through water. Most fishes have scales, hard, thin, overlapping
plates that cover and protect the fish’s body. Each scale grows as the fish grows. Each ring
on the fish scale represents one growing year or season. Fishes are grouped into three
classes—jawless fishes, cartilaginous fishes and bony fishes.

Jawless Fishes

The illustration below shows a lamprey and a hagfish. They are examples of jawless
fishes. Jawless fishes have round mouths and long tube bodies covered with slimy skins with
no scales. Fishes in this class have very flexible bodies made of cartilages. A cartilage is a
tough, flexible tissue not as hard as a bone. Feel your ears and the tip of your nose, these are
also made of cartilages.

Lamprey

Hagfish

Examples of jawless fishes

5
 Hagfishes are probably the most primitive vertebrates alive today. They are pinkish-
gray, wormlike fishes with four or six short tentacles around their mouths. Hagfishes do not
have eyes but they have light-detecting regions scattered around their bodies. They feed on
dead and dying fishes by using toothed tongues to bore holes on the sides of their prey. They
secrete incredible amounts of slime and regularly tie themselves into half-knots.
Lampreys are typical filter feeders as larvae and parasites as adults. An adult
lamprey’s head is mostly made up of a circular sucking disk with a round jawless mouth in
the center. Adult lampreys live by attaching themselves to fishes and scraping away at their
skins with large teeth and strong rasping tongues. Lampreys suck the tissues and body fluids
of their prey with large teeth and strong rasping tongues.

Let’s Review

Answer the following questions briefly.

1. Why do you think lampreys and hagfishes are considered the lowest forms of
fishes?
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________

2. How are they different from other fishes?

________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________

Compare your answers with those in the Answer Key on page 31. How well did you
do?

Let’s Learn

Cartilaginous Fishes

Stingray

Shark

Examples of catilaginous fishes

6
 Skates, sharks and rays are examples of cartilaginous fishes. They are members of the
class Chondricthyes. Cartilaginous fishes have skeletons made up of cartilage just like
jawless fishes. Unlike jawless fishes, however, they have movable jaws and scales. Did you
watch the movie Jaws? This movie shows us how powerful the jaws of sharks are. A
shark’s scales resemble vertebrate teeth and its skin feels like sandpaper. In fact, most
sandpapers used to be made from shark skins.
Sharks can grow up to 15 m in length. Some sharks, the dogfish sharks, which are
widely used in zoological laboratories, rarely exceed 1 m in length though. The fact that
sharks are predators gives them a reputation of being killers. A predator is an organism that
kills and eats other organisms. The organisms predators kill and eat are called prey.
Contrary to what you might have heard about its feeding habits, not all sharks are man-eaters.
Some sharks are filter feeders. Others have flat teeth adapted for crushing the shells of
mollusks and crustaceans. And although there are a number of carnivorous sharks large
enough to prey on humans, each year, more people are killed by lightning than by sharks.
Skates and stingrays belong to a separate order. Skates and rays are distinguished by
their dorso-ventrally flattened bodies and much enlarged pectoral fins similar to the wings of
birds. Their gill openings can be seen on the undersides of their heads and their spiracles are
usually large. They take in respiratory water through their spiracles to prevent their gills
from getting clogged because their mouths are often buried in the sand.

Let’s Try This

Answer the following questions briefly.

1. What are the characteristics of stingrays and sharks?
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________

2. What is a predator? a prey?

________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________

Compare your answers with those in the Answer Key on page 31. How well did you
do?
Did you know that most of our cartilaginous fishes are at the brink of extinction? As a
concerned citizen, how can you help conserve them?

7
 Let’s Learn

Bony Fishes

Bony fishes make up the class Osteicthyes. This word comes from the Greek words
osteon meaning “bone” and ichthy meaning “fish.” Fishes that belong to this class have
skeletons made of bones. About 95% of all the species of fishes belong to this class.
Floating is important to fishes. Some float by trapping gases in a balloon-like structure
called swim bladder. It fills up with air allowing the fish to float. Fishes can then stay
underwater without much effort. The gills of fishes are covered with operculums which they
use in breathing. They open and close, moving water taken in through their mouths to their
gills.
Do you know how bony fishes reproduce? When a female bony fish is already mature
and pregnant with eggs, it is courted by a male. The male follows the pregnant female until it
releases a large number of eggs into the water in a process called spawning. The male then
swims over the eggs and releases sperm. The fusion of the egg and sperm happens in the
water in a process called external fertilization. The fertilized eggs will later on become
fish larvae and later on adult fishes.
Fishes are important sources of food for humans and other animals. Some researchers
hypothesize that fish oil protects blood vessels from too much fat deposits that can lead to
heart diseases. Because fishes feed on insect larvae such as those of mosquitoes, they help
eject populations that are dangerous to humans as well. Some species of fishes also feed on
plants that clog waterways.

Let’s Review

Answer the following questions briefly.

1. What makes bony fishes more advanced than the other groups of fishes?
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________

2. What structures help bony fishes swim?

________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________

3. What are their gills for?

________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
Compare your answers with those in the Answer Key on page 31. How well did you do?

8
 Let’s See What You Have Learned

Write True in the blank if the statement is correct. If the statement is wrong, change the
underlined word or phrase to make it true. Write the correct word or phrase in the blank
provided before the number.
_______________ 1. Vertebrates are chordates that include mammals, birds,
reptiles, amphibians and fishes which possess spinal columns.
_______________ 2. The backbone forms part of the internal skeleton called the
exoskeleton.
_______________ 3. The spinal column is the axial skeleton of the trunk and tail of
a vertebrate consisting of an articulate of vertebrate and
protecting the spinal column or backbone.
_______________ 4. The fins are structures that take in oxygen from water and give
off carbon dioxide.
_______________ 5. The fins or fanlike structures on fishes are used for steering,
balancing and moving through water.
_______________ 6. The large scale moves back and forth to propel a fish through
water.
_______________ 7. Most fishes have scales, hard, thin, overlapping plates that
cover and protect their bodies.
_______________ 8. A scale is a tough, flexible tissue not as hard as a bone.
_______________ 9. A predator is an organism that kills and eats other organisms.
_______________10. The organisms predators kill and eat are called mammals.
Compare your answers with those in the Answer Key on page 32. How well did you do?

Let’s Remember

♦ Fishes are aquatic vertebrates that are characterized by having scales, fins and
gills.
♦ There are around 30000 different species of fishes. Out of this number of species,
80% are found in Philippine waters.
♦ There are three groups of fishes—the jawless fishes, the cartilaginous fishes and
the bony fishes.
♦ The jawless fishes are considered the most primitive fishes.
♦ Sharks and stingrays are examples of cartilaginous fishes.
♦ Bony fishes have both exoskeletons and endoskeletons.
♦ Fertilization of fish eggs is external or takes place in water.
♦ The swim bladder is a balloon-like structure in a fish that allows it to float on
water.

9
 LESSON 2

Amphibians
During the rainy season, you can see many tadpoles in bodies of water. After a while,
these tadpoles develop into adult frogs. There are around 4000 different species of
amphibians in the world. The amphibians are the smallest among the vertebrates. They range
in size from 1 to 170 cm long. They can live both on land and in water. You will learn all
about them in this lesson.

Let’s Try This

Try to secure a frog specimen from your garden or backyard. Put your specimen in a
collecting bottle and add ether to it to immobilize it. Now, study the parts of the frog. What
can you say about its skin? Locate its mouth, nostrils, eyes and the round tympanic membrane
it uses for hearing. Look at its legs. Why are its hind legs longer than its front legs?

Let’s Learn

Frogs and Toads

Frogs and toads are the most commonly found amphibians. What is the difference
between them? A frog has softer and smoother skin than a toad. A frog has two pairs of legs
but its forelegs are smaller than its hind legs. Why is this so? A frog’s hind legs are longer
because they are used for jumping.
To become more familiar with frogs and toads, study the picture below.

American toad
Tree frog

How does a frog differ from a toad?

10
 Frogs, toads and salamanders are examples of amphibians. They either have moist,
smooth skin or warty skin without scales. They can breathe through their skins or the linings
of their mouths. Amphibians have very small saclike lungs. They are cold-blooded, meaning
their body temperatures change depending on the temperature in their environment.
Frogs can escape their predators in many ways. Some become almost invisible when
they hide among dead leaves. Bullfrogs have long, muscular hindlegs that enable them to
quickly leap away from enemies. Tree frogs have small suction cups at the ends of their toes
that make them excellent tree climbers.
Do you know how frogs can survive the extremely cold temperature in the northern
countries? That’s easy, they just hibernate. Hibernation is the period of inactivity during
very cold days or the winter season in temperate countries. How about in the extremely hot
temperature in the south? They just estivate. Estivation is the period of inactivity during the
hot, dry summer months.
The illustration below shows the life cycle of a frog. Male frogs create croaking sounds
to attract gravid or pregnant female frogs. The males then climb onto the females’ backs and
squeeze them. They usually do this in places close to bodies of water. In response to this
stimulus, the females release as many as 200 eggs each which the males then fertilize. The
embryos are surrounded by transparent jellies that attach them to underwater plants where
they hatch into tadpoles after one or two weeks.

Life cycle of a frog

11
 Some frogs are edible but some are poisonous. Frogs are considered a delicacy in
some parts of the world especially in France. Frog skin can also be used in industries like
wallet and bag making. Some scientific researches on regeneration also use frogs and
organisms like them such as newts. These studies may then suggest ways by which lost limbs
or birth defects in humans can be remedied.

Salamanders

Salamanders are amphibians that superficially resemble lizards but have no scales and
are covered with soft moist skin and breathe through their gills in the larval stage. They keep
their tails even as adults. Both adults and larvae are carnivorous. They are capable of
regenerating some lost parts of their bodies. Most salamanders are about 15 cm long. They
are hatched as fully aquatic larvae with gills. As adults, they live in water all their life.
Some newts, like the crimson-spotted newts can live both in water and land. Starting as
aquatic larvae, they later on emerge and live entirely on land in a form called red eft. After
a year or two, the red eft changes its color and returns to the water to breed.

Economic Value of Amphibians

1. Amphibians can be used as biological indicators because they are highly sensitive
to pollutants. Since they do not have scales or shells for protection, their soft skin
is very sensitive to poisonous gases and chemicals. A polluted place, therefore,
can hardly be a habitat for them.
2. They are good sources of food for many birds, reptiles, fishes and mammals.
3. Their skin can be used in making coin purses and wallets.
4. They are also important components in an aquatic food chain.

12
 Let’s See What You Have Learned

Answer the following questions briefly.

1. Will you be able to find frogs in the Pasig River? Why/Why not?
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
2. What will you do if you see a person removing egg masses in their habitats?
Explain your answer.
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
3. What can happen in an ecosystem if there were no frogs?
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
Compare your answers with those in the Answer Key on page 32. How well did you
do?

Let’s Remember

♦ Amphibians are vertebrates that are aquatic as larvae and terrestrial as adults.
♦ Toads, newts, frogs and salamanders are examples of amphibians.
♦ Hibernation is the process of becoming inactive during the cold season while
estivation is the process of becoming inactive during the hot season.
♦ Amphibians undergo external fertilization.
♦ Certain species of frogs are a delicacy in many parts of the world while some are
poisonous when eaten.
♦ Amphibian skin can be used in making wallets and coin purses.

13
 LESSON 3

Reptiles

When children think of reptiles, they probably think of dinosaurs. They always see
these reptiles in television shows and magazines. However, when you think of reptiles, you
probably think of snakes moving through the grass and lizards climbing up tree trunks. A few
may think of a big crocodile floating noiselessly in a pool or a turtle inching its way on the
shore. So, what are reptiles? Reptiles are cold-blooded vertebrates with dry, scaly skin and
adaptations that enable them to live their entire adult lives out of water. You will learn about
them and more in this lesson.

Let’s Try This

Write A if the animal is an amphibian and R if it is a reptile.

______ 1. Frog
______ 2. Dinosaur
______ 3. Toad
______ 4. Snake
______ 5. Newt
______ 6. Lizard
______ 7. Salamander
______ 8. Crocodile
Compare your answers with those in the Answer Key on page 32. How well did you
do?

14
 Let’s Learn

In some ways, reptiles resemble amphibians. Both are cold-blooded. However, reptiles
are better adapted to life on land than in water. For example, their skin is dry and leathery
and is often covered with thick, protective scales preventing loss of body water in dry
environments. The only disadvantage of having this type of skin is that reptiles must change
their skins periodically in a process called molting. Reptiles produce eggs covered by
shells protecting them from the dryness in their environment. Aside from shells, reptile eggs
also contain a yolk rich in nutrients that the embryos can use as they develop. Reptiles also
have a more efficient respiratory system compared to amphibians. They have two lungs, just
like humans, except for snakes which only have one.

Turtles

Examples of turtles

Are you familiar with the animals in the illustration above? The one on the left is a sea
turtle or pawikan while the one on the right is an ordinary turtle. Compare their limbs. How
do they differ? Sea turtles are marine turtles with paddle-like feet. They can weigh up to
thousands of kilograms. Do you know what a tortoise is? Tortoises are terrestrial turtles.
Did you know that the meat as well as the eggs of sea turtles are edible? They are, in fact,
considered a delicacy in the coastal towns of Cebu, Sulu and Eastern Luzon where they are
easily found. However, eating turtle meat is discouraged since they are becoming extinct.
They are already considered an endangered species.
Sea turtles leave the water to lay their eggs because they can’t get oxygen from water
the way fish can. Once they have lain their eggs, they never come to see them again.

15
 Turtles can be found in almost every part of the world. Their bodies are covered by a
hard shell both on top and at the bottom. Most turtles can withdraw into their shells for
protection. They do not have teeth. They use their beaks to feed on insects, worms, fishes
and plants. Turtles climb onto rocks and fallen trees to sunbathe and dry their shells from
time to time. This is because they become sluggish if they stay too long in cold water.

Let’s Review

Answer the following questions briefly.

1. What advantages do reptiles have over amphibians with regard to adaptation for
land life?
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
2. What is the difference between a turtle and a tortoise?
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
3. Why can’t turtles stay long underwater during the cold season?
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
Compare your answers with those in the Answer Key on page 32. How well did you
do?

16
 Let’s Learn

Lizards

Examples of snakes and lizards

Are you familiar with the animals in the illustration above? Lizards and snakes make up
the largest group of reptiles. Iguanas are examples of lizards. They are often brightly
colored with ornamental crests, frills and throat fans.
Have you ever tried pulling the tail of a lizard? What happened? Lizards are capable of
autotomy or the ability to cut off any part of their bodies when attacked. They later on just
replace their lost parts.
Lizards also have movable eyelids, external ears and legs with clawed toes. Their
movable eyelids help them see their predators right away. Their external ears help them hear
better while their clawed toes allow them to cling to objects easily. They range in size from
5 cm to about 3 m. They feed on other reptiles, spiders, insects, worms and mammals. The
biggest known lizard is the Komoto dragon. It can grow up to 3 m long and weigh up to
more than 75 kg; it can kill and devour animals as large as medium-sized carabaos.
Many lizards live in the world’s hot and dry regions aided by several adaptations for
desert life. Since their skins do not have glands, water loss is very much reduced. Lizards
undergo internal fertilization, which means that their eggs and sperm fuse together inside
the body of the female. Most lizards lay eggs in simple nests. However, some do not but give
birth to live young instead after the eggs hatch inside their bodies.

17
Snakes
Some snakes such as rattlesnakes are poisonous and, therefore, dangerous. But most
snakes are not poisonous. In fact, snakes are helpful to humans because they eat pests like
insects, rats and mice. Snakes are meat eaters. They do not have legs, eyelids and external
ears. Some snakes wrap around and trap their prey. Others inject poisoned venom into their
prey. Many snakes feed on rodents like rats and help control their populations.
There are about 2700 kinds of snakes. Most of these are found in the tropics. The
largest snakes are the anacondas of South America and the reticulate pythons of Asia. Both
may grow up to 30 ft. long. The smallest snake, on the other hand, is the Braminy blind
snake, which lives in the tropics and grows only up to 6 in. long.

Let’s Review

Answer the following questions briefly.

1. Define the following words: autotomy; regeneration.
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
2. In what ways can snakes be helpful?
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
Compare your answers with those in the Answer Key on page 33. How well did you
do?

Crocodiles and Alligators

Do you know what a crocodile is?

18
 Look at the illustration on the previous page. Is the animal familiar to you? Crocodiles,
along with alligators, are among the world’s largest living reptiles. They are carnivorous
and some species can grow up to 7 m in length more or less with a mass of around 1000 kg.
These animals live mostly in the tropics where the climate remains warm the whole year
round. Crocodiles have long, slender snouts and are very aggressive. They can attack
animals as big as cattle, deer and people. Alligators are less aggressive compared to
crocodiles. They have broad snouts and feed on fishes, turtles and aquatic birds.
Crocodiles and alligators live in water and are good swimmers. They have raised
nostrils on their snouts which are connected to their lungs. Many of them drift quietly on
water with their nostrils and eyes sticking out. This way they can hunt for prey better.

Let’s Review

Answer the following questions briefly.

1. Why do reptiles live mostly in tropical places?
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
2. Why is there a need to protect our reptiles? How can we help conserve them?
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
Compare your answers with those in the Answer Key on page 33. How well did you
do?

Let’s Learn

Economic Uses of Reptiles

♦ Reptiles are important predators in many ecosystems. In farms, for example,
snakes keep down the number of rats and mice that may feed on our crops.
♦ Turtle and snake meat are considered a delicacy in many places.
♦ The blood and venom of snakes are also used as medicines and as aphrodisiacs.
♦ Turtle shells can be used in manufacturing jewelry and other handicraft.
♦ Crocodile and alligator skin can be made into expensive bags and shoes.

19
 Let’s See What You Have Learned

A. Encircle the letter of the correct answer to each of the following.

1. Which of the following is not a reptile?
a. turtle
b. lizard
c. toad
d. alligator
2. Which of the following animals is not cold blooded?
a. frog
b. snake
c. tortoise
d. bird
3. What do you call the poisonous substance secreted by a snake?
a. saliva
b. venom
c. oil
d. insulin
4. Which of the following animals does not lay eggs?
a. frog
b. turtle
c. snake
d. lizard
5. Which of the following is the biggest reptile?
a. crocodile
b. lizard
c. snake
d. turtle
B. If you were appointed secretary of the Department of Environment and Natural
Resources (DENR), what measures will you take to conserve our wildlife
resources?
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
Compare your answers with those in the Answer Key on page 33. How well did you
do?

20
Let’s Remember

♦ Reptiles are cold-blooded animals.

♦ There are around 6000 different species of reptiles around the world.
♦ Lizards, snakes, turtles, crocodiles and alligators are examples of reptiles.

21
 LESSON 4

Birds and Mammals

This lesson will focus on the warm-blooded vertebrates. Warm-blooded animals can
maintain constant body temperatures thereby allowing them to stay active whether it is hot or
cold.

Let’s Read

Almost half of the world’s birds migrate once a year. The most famous migratory birds,
the Arctic Terns, in fact, travel all the way down to the south, 38623 km away from their
birthplace in the North Pole.

Let’s Learn

Birds
You have probably seen different kinds of birds. Colorful birds fill the woods and
maybe even your backyard. Exotic birds with colorful feathers also inhabit zoological
gardens. There are about 8700 species of birds and more than 100000 different species
already became extinct.
Birds are warm-blooded animals with an outer covering of feathers, two legs used for
walking or perching and front limbs modified into wings. A bird’s normal body temperature
is about 40 0 C. They have feathers setting them apart from all the other members of the
animal kingdom. They also have wings for flight. However, not all birds can fly. The ostrich,
for instance, cannot fly. Its body is too heavy. It has instead well-developed legs for running
allowing it to run like a horse. The penguin cannot fly too. It has instead modified paddles
for swimming.
Look at the illustration on the next page to familiarize yourself with the external parts of
a bird.

22
 Forehead Eye Crown

Nape
Beak Greater wing coverts

Chin

Throat

Breast
Thigh

Tarsus

Tail feathers

Parts of a bird

Birds also have scales especially on their feet. They have beaks or bills. The beaks of
birds vary depending on what kind of food they eat. They could be modified for cracking
seeds, boring holes on tree trunks or picking worms. They have hollow bones that enable
them to fly.

Let’s Review

Answer the following questions briefly.

1. What are warm-blooded animals?
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
2. Enumerate the unique characteristics of birds that set them apart from the other
animals.
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
3. What is migration?
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
Compare your answers with those in the Answer Key on page 33. How well did you
do?

23
 Let’s Learn

Mammals
The word mammal came from the Greek word mamma meaning “breast.” Mammals
are animals with mammary glands. In most mammals, the female mammary glands secrete
milk when she feeds her young. Mammals have hair or fur. They are warm blooded, meaning
their body temperatures do not change even when the temperature in their environment
changes. There are about 5000 species of mammals, some 230 of which are found in our
country. Our country has one of the richest variety of animals including wildlife. Many of
these, however, are endangered.
There are three different groups of mammals—the egg-laying mammals, the mammals
with pouches and the placental mammals.

Egg-Laying Mammals
Mammals that lay eggs are called monotremes. Examples of this include the platypus
or the spiny anteater. Refer to the illustration below. Platypuses do not have nipples like
placental mammals and marsupials. Their young lick milk from the skin and hair surrounding
the females’ mammary glands.

Platypus or spiny anteater

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Mammals With Pouches
Marsupials or mammals with pouches develop their young in their pouches. Their
young are born though and do not hatch from eggs. They are commonly found in Australia.
Examples of this include the kangaroo.

Kangaroo

The young marsupial develops for a short while inside the body of its mother. It is born
tiny and helpless at first. A newborn kangaroo weighs less than 28 g. It is no bigger than your
thumb. The tiny marsupial crawls through its mother’s fur into her pouch. There, it attaches
itself to the mother’s mammary glands. It feeds on milk until it is strong enough to leave the
pouch. The baby kangaroo stays in the pouch for nine months. The same is true of baby
opossums. They complete their development attached to their mothers’ nipples.

Placental Mammals
Most mammals including humans belong to this group. The embryos of placental
mammals develop inside a female organ called the uterus. The time during which the
embryo develops in the uterus is called the gestation period. This period ranges from 16 to
650 days. Placental mammals are named after the placenta, the organ developed by the
growing embryo that attaches to the uterus. An umbilical cord attaches the embryo to the
placenta.
Refer to the illustration on the next page to see different kinds of mammals.

25
 Elephant

Lion
Monkey

Different kinds of mammals

Did you know that whales are mammals too even if they have very little hair. They just
have a few bristles around their lips. They are considered as the largest mammals on earth.

Let’s Review

Answer the following questions briefly.

1. Describe the mammals.
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
2. What are the three groups of mammals? Describe each of them.
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
Compare your answers with those in the Answer Key on page 33. How well did you
do?

26
 Let’s See What You Have Learned

Complete the concept map of the different groups of mammals below.

Mammals

Based on
development and
reproduction

Marsupials

Platypus

Compare your answers with those in the Answer Key on page 34. How well did you
do?

Let’s Remember

♦ Birds are the only vertebrates with feathers.

♦ Mammals are warm-blooded vertebrates that have hair or fur and produce milk to
feed their young.
♦ Mammals are classified into three: placental mammals, marsupials and
monotremes.
♦ Placental mammals develop their embryos inside a female organ called the
uterus.
♦ The time during which the embryo develops in the uterus is called the gestation
period.
♦ Marsupials are animals with pouches that give birth to tiny, immature offsprings.
♦ Monotremes are mammals that lay eggs.
Well, this is the end of the module! Congratulations for finishing it. Did you like it? Did
you learn anything useful from it? A summary of its main points is given on the next page to
help you remember them better.

27
 Let’s Sum Up

This module tells us that:

♦ Fishes are aquatic vertebrates characterized by having scales, fins and gills.
♦ There are around 30000 different species of fishes. Out of this number of species,
80% are found in Philippine waters.
♦ There are three groups of fishes—the jawless fishes, the cartilaginous fishes and
the bony fishes.
♦ The jawless fishes are considered the most primitive type of fishes.
♦ Sharks and stingrays are examples of cartilaginous fishes.
♦ Bony fishes have both exoskeletons and endoskeletons.
♦ Fertilization of fish eggs is external or takes place in water.
♦ The swim bladder is a balloon-like structure in a fish that allows it to float on
water.
♦ Amphibians are vertebrates that are aquatic as larvae and terrestrial as adults.
♦ Toads, newts, frogs and salamanders are examples of amphibians.
♦ Hibernation is the process of becoming inactive during the cold season while
estivation is the process of becoming inactive during the hot season.
♦ Amphibians undergo external fertilization.
♦ Certain species of frogs are a delicacy in many parts of the world but some are
poisonous when eaten.
♦ Amphibian skin can be used in making wallets and coin purses.
♦ Reptiles are cold-blooded animals.
♦ There are around 6000 different species of reptiles around the world.
♦ Lizards, snakes, turtles, crocodiles and alligators are examples of reptiles.
♦ Birds are the only vertebrates with feathers.
♦ Mammals are warm-blooded vertebrates that have hair or fur and produce milk to
feed their young.
♦ Mammals can be classified into three: placental mammals, marsupials and
monotremes.
♦ Placental mammals develop their embryos inside a female organ called the uterus.
♦ The time during which the embryo develops in the uterus is called the gestation
period.
♦ Marsupials are mammals with pouches that give birth to tiny, immature offsprings.
♦ Monotremes are mammals that lay eggs.

28
 What Have You Learned?
A. Encircle the letter of the correct answer to each of the following.
1. Which of the following is not a vertebrate?
a. turtle
b. fish
c. snail
d. parrot
2. Which of the following is a cold-blooded animal?
a. lizard
b. monkey
c. anteater
d. eagle
3. Which of the following is a cartilaginous fish?
a. stingray
b. bangos
c. tilapia
d. catfish
4. Which of the following is not a characteristic of reptiles?
a. cold-blooded
b. have dry scaly skin
c. lay eggs with leathery shells
d. have mammary glands
5. Which of the following is not a characteristic of amphibians?
a. have moist skin
b. can live both on land and in water
c. lay eggs
d. warm blooded
B. Answer the following questions briefly.
1. Why is our country very rich in natural resources?
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
2. Why is most of our wildlife considered endangered now?
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
3. How can we help conserve our endangered species?
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________

29
 4. Would you be able to adjust to freezing temperatures? Why/Why not?
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
5. In what ways are amphibians adapted to land life?
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
Compare your answers with those in the Answer Key on page 34. Did you get a perfect
score? If you did, that’s very good! You may now study another module. If you didn’t, don’t
worry. Just review the parts of this module you didn’t understand very well before studying
another one.

30
 Answer Key

A. Let’s See What You Already Know (pages 2–3)

1. (c)
2. (a)
3. (a)
4. (d)
5. (d)
6. (c)
7. (a)
8. (b)
9. (c)
10. (a)

B. Lesson 1
Let’s Try This (page 5)
1. The gills of fishes are used for breathing underwater. They are reddish in
color because of the blood vessels that carry nonoxygenated blood during the
exchange of gases.
2. It has four types of fins. They help the fish balance itself and swim in water.
They can also be used for defense purposes.
3. The large tail fin moves back and forth to propel the fish through water.
Let’s Review (page 6)
1. Because they lack jaws.
2. They have round mouths with short tentacles that allow them to attach
themselves to other fishes when they feed on their blood and body fluids.
Let’s Try This (page 7)
1. They have scales and very movable jaws.
2. A predator is an organism that eats another organism. A prey, on the other
hand, is the organism a predator feeds on.
Let’s Review (page 8)
1. They have bony endoskeletons.
2. Their swim bladder, fins and tails all together help them swim.
3. The gills are the structures in fishes that are used for gas exchange.

31
 Let’s See What You Have Learned (page 9)
1. True 6. tail fin
2. endoskeleton 7. True
3. True 8. cartilage
4. gills 9. True
5. True 10. prey

C. Lesson 2
Let’s See What You Have Learned (page 13)
1. No, you won’t because frogs cannot survive in dirty water. They would have
difficulty breathing in a place like this.
2. I will stop this person because he/she may disrupt the balance in nature.
3. There will be many mosquitoes and flies since there will be no organism to
eat them. There will be an imbalance in nature.

D. Lesson 3
Let’s Try This (page 14)
1. A
2. R
3. A
4. R
5. A
6. R
7. A
8. R
9. A
10. R
Let’s Review (page 16)
1. Reptiles have dry, hard and leathery skin that can prevent rapid loss of water
enabling them to stay longer on land than amphibians can. They produce eggs
with shells that do not dry up easily and have a more efficient respiratory
system with the presence of lungs compared to amphibians.
2. Turtles live in water while tortoises live on land.
3. Because they are cold blooded.

32
 Let’s Review (page 18)
1. Autotomy is the ability to cut off a part of one’s body as a form of defense
mechanism. Regeneration, on the other hand, is the ability to regrow or
replace a missing part of one’s body.
2. Snakes can reduce the number of pests in farms by feeding on them. They are
also sources of food and their venom can be used for medicinal purposes.
Let’s Review (page 19)
1. Because the temperatures in these areas are more stable or do not change
abruptly.
2. Because they are nearly becoming extinct. We can avoid hunting them or we
can put up crocodile farms like the one found in Palawan where they will be
able to breed and reproduce.
Let’s See What You Have Learned (page 20)
A. 1. (c)
2. (d)
3. (b)
4. (c)
5. (a)
B. The answers to this may vary. Just ask your Instructional Manager to check
your answer.

E. Lesson 4
Let’s Review (page 23)
1. Warm-blooded animals are those with body temperatures that remain
constant regardless of external temperature changes.
2. Birds have feathers. They have beaks or bills which they use to get food.
They have wings too.
3. Migration is the process of moving periodically from one region or climate to
another for feeding or breeding.
Let’s Review (page 26)
1. Mammals are vertebrates with mammary glands and hair or fur. They
are warm blooded and have the most advanced nervous system among all
animals.
2. Placental mammals develop their embryos inside a female organ called the
uterus. Marsupials give birth to tiny, immature offsprings that are further
developed outside their mothers’ bodies. Monotremes are mammals that lay
eggs with tough, leathery shells.

33
Let’s See What You Have Learned (page 27)

Mammals

Based on
development and
reproduction

Monotremes

Marsupials

Platypus Kangaroo

F. What Have You Learned? (pages 29–30)

A. 1. (c)
2. (a)
3. (a)
4. (d)
5. (d)
B. The answers to this may vary. Just ask your Instructional Manager to check
your answer.

34
 Glossary

Air sac One of several sacs attached to a bird’s lungs that allow for the one-way flow
of air through its respiratory system making its body more bouyant or lighter.
Amphibian An animal that can live both on land and in water.
Chordate An animal that possesses a notochord, a hollow dorsal nerve cord and
pharyngeal slits at some point in its development.
Cold-blooded animal An animal that cannot adjust to changes in the temperature in its
surroundings.
Closed circulatory system A circulatory system in which blood moves through a
continuous set of interconnected blood vessels.
Endoskeleton A skeleton or framework supporting the inner parts of one’s body.
Exoskeleton A system of supporting structures covering the outside of one’s body.
Mammary glands Female glands of mammals that produce milk to nourish their young
with for some time after they are born.
Marsupial A nonplacental mammal whose fetus is born immature completing its
development in a pouch on its mother’s body.
Monotreme An egg-laying mammal.
Swim bladder One of the numerous balloon-like sacs that are filled with air and
lighten the bodies of fishes.
Vertebral column Also called the backbone, which encloses and protects the nerve
cord.
Vertebrate An animal with a backbone.
Warm-blooded animal An animal that has a constant body temperature.

35
 References

Balzer, L. and P. L. Goodson. Introduction to Biology. Glenview, Illinois: Scott,

Foresman and Company, 1986.
Daniel, L., E. Ortleb and Alton Biggs. Merill Life Science. New York: McGraw-Hill,
1994.
Mauseth, James T. Botany. Florida, U.S.A.: Harcourt Brace and Company, 1996.
Miller, K. R. Biology. New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 1991.
Stern, K. R. Introduction to Plant Biology. U.S.A.: Wm. C. Brown Publishers, Inc.,
1994.
Wong, H. K. and M. Dolmatz. Biology: The Key Ideas. New York: Globe Book
Company, Inc., 1986.

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