By:Maryflor

Higida
Tetrapods are a group of
vertebrates that includes
amphibians, reptiles,
birds, and mammals.
Tetrapods include all
living land vertebrates as
well as some former land
vertebrates that have
since adopted an aquatic
lifestyle (such as whales,
dolphins, seals, sea lions,
sea turtles, and sea
snakes). One of the key
characteristics of
tetrapods is that they
have four limbs or, if they
•Tetrapods First
Appeared During the
Devonian Period

Tetrapods first appeared about 370 million years ago during the Devonian Period. Early
tetrapods evolved from a group of vertebrates known as the tetrapodomorph fishes. These
ancient fishes were a lineage of lobe-finned fishes whose paired, fleshy fins evolved into
limbs with digits. Examples of tetrapodomorph fishes include Tiktaalik and Panderichthys.
The tetrapods that arose from the tetrapodomorph fishes became the first vertebrates to
leave the water and embark on a life on land. Some early tetrapods that have been
described in the fossil record include Acanthostega, Ichthyostega, and Nectridea.
Tetrapods Are Different Sizes
• Tetrapods vary greatly • For example, whales,
in size. The smallest dolphins, seals,
living tetrapod is the walrus, otters, sea
Paedophyrine frog, snakes, sea turtles,
which measures just 8 frogs, and
millimeters long. The
salamanders, are all
largest living tetrapod
is the blue whale, which examples of
can grow to lengths of tetrapods that depend
up to 30 meters. on aquatic habitats
Tetrapods occupy a for some or all of
wide variety of their life cycle.
terrestrial habitats Several groups of
including forests, tetrapods have also
grasslands, deserts, adopted an arboreal
scrublands, mountains, or aerial lifestyle.
and polar regions. Such groups include
•Key Characteristics
• Four limbs (or descended • Well-developed muscular
from ancestors with four tongue
limbs)
• The parathyroid gland that
• Various adaptations of the in part controls calcium
skeleton and muscles that levels in the blood
enable proper support and
movement on land • A gland that lubricates the
eyes (Harderian gland)
• Adaptations to the cranial
bones that allows the head • An olfactory organ
to remain stable while the (vomeronasal organ) that
animal moves enables the detection of
• A layer of dead cells that pheromones and plays a
reduces evaporation and role in taste and smell
water loss across the • An absence of internal gills
surface of the body
Classification
Tetrapods are classified within the following
taxonomic hierarchy:
Animals > Chordates > Vertebrates > Tetrapods
Tetrapods are divided into the following
taxonomic groups:
• Amphibians • Amniotes (Aminota):
(Lissamphibia): There are
about 5,000 species of
amphibians alive today.
Members of this group
include frogs, toads,
caecilians, newts, and
salamanders. Amphibians
begin their life cycle as
aquatic larvae that go
through a complex
metamorphosis as they
grow to adulthood.
There are about 25,000
species of amniotes
alive today. Members of
this group include birds,
reptiles, and mammals.
Amniotes reproduce
using an egg that is
protected by a set of
membranes that shelter
it from the harsh
conditions of a
terrestrial environment.
The origin of
tetrapods
The word "tetrapod" means "four feet" and includes all
species alive today that have four feet — but this group also
includes many animals that don't have four feet. That's
because the group includes all the organisms (living and
extinct) that descended from the last common ancestor of
amphibians, reptiles, and mammals. So, for example, the
ichthyosaur, an extinct swimming reptile, is a tetrapod even
though it did not use its limbs to walk on land. So is the
snake, even though it has no limbs. And birds and humans
are tetrapods even though they only walk on two legs. All
these animals are tetrapods because they descend from the
tetrapod ancestor described above, even if they have
secondarily lost their "four feet."
• For example, the ancestors at the
base of this evogram lived fully in the
water and had skulls that were tall
and narrow, with eyes facing
sideways and forwards. This allowed
them to look around in their watery
environments for predators and prey.
However, as ancestors of the first
tetrapods began to live in shallower
waters, their skulls evolved to be
flatter, with eyes on the tops of their
heads. This probably allowed them to
look up to spot food. Then, as
tetrapods finally moved fully onto
land and away from the water, many
lineages once again evolved skulls
that were tall and narrow, with eyes
facing sideways and forwards,
allowing them to look around their
terrestrial environments for predators
and prey.
 Powerpoint

THANK YOU!

Maryflor Higida 11-Phoenix 10/16/19