Vertebrate Life and

Evolution
NZOO624

M. Kraai
 Staff
• Dr M. Kraai – manqhai.kraai@spu.ac.za

• Dr T. Musvuugwa – tendai.musvuugwa@spu.ac.za

• Ms M. Digashu – mogomane.digashu@spu.ac.za

• Class Representatives
– ?
– ?
 Recommended book
• Pough, F.H, Janis, C. M. & Heiser, J.B. 2009.
Vertebrate life. Eight Edition.
Systematics, Phylogeny
and Taxonomy
 Founders
• Carl Linnaeus – 1707-1778
• Botanist
• Binomial nomenclature
• Naming of species
• Order, class, genus, species

• Willi Hennig – 1913-1976

• Entomologist
• Phylogenetic systematics
• Grouped according to common
ancestor
 Systematics
• Description of animals
• Provide scientific names
• Classification
• Keys for identification
• Preservation of specimens
• Evolution of animals
• Adaptations
• Environmental factors
• Extinctions
 Phylogeny
• Branch of systematics

• Evolutionary history of the

extinct and extant organisms

• Relationships among or within

groups of organisms
• Through heritable traits and
fossils

• Develop phylogenetic tree – a

diagram showing the
relationships that reflects the
evolutionary history of a group of
organisms
 Phylogeny
• Classification lists the unique characters of each
taxon and is intended to reflect phylogeny

• Primitive (ancestral) traits:

• Present in all members of a group, and
• Present in the common ancestor

• Derived traits:
• Present in some members of a group, but
absent in the common ancestor
 Classification
• Fossil records

• Anatomical
characteristics

• Genetics
Domain = Eukaryote

Kingdom = Animalia

Phylum = Chordata

Subphylum = Vertebrata
Breviceps macrops
Class = Amphibia

Order = Anura

Family = Breviceptidae

Genus = Breviceps

Species = fuscus
Breviceps fuscus
 Scientific names
• Descriptive e.g. Breviceps macrops

• Geographic e.g. Alligator mississippiensis

• Named after someone e.g. Acritus bikoi

• Scientific names vs common names

• Latin – universal language

• Estimated 8.7 million sp. on earth

• 1 million animals, ½ million plants & microorganisms - named

Geographic classification

Aonyx capensis

Microbatrachella capensis