Laboratory Exercise No. 8 Subphylum Vertebrata PDF

Sub-Phylum Vertebrata INTRODUCTION  Vertebrates are among the most recognizable organisms of the animal kingdom (Figure 1). More than 62,000 vertebrate species have been identified. The vertebrate species now living represent only a small portion of the vertebrates that have exi...

Sub-Phylum Vertebrata INTRODUCTION  Vertebrates are among the most recognizable organisms of the animal kingdom (Figure 1). More than 62,000 vertebrate species have been identified. The vertebrate species now living represent only a small portion of the vertebrates that have existed. The best-known extinct vertebrates are the dinosaurs, a unique group of reptiles, reaching sizes not seen before or since in terrestrial animals. They were the dominant terrestrial animals for 150 million years, until they died out near the end of the Cretaceous period in a mass extinction. A great deal is known about the anatomy of the dinosaurs, given the preservation of their skeletal elements in the fossil record. CHARACTERISTICS OF VERTEBRATES  A vertebrate is an animal that has all of the following characteristic features at some point in its life:  1. A stiff rod running through the length of the animal (it could either be the vertebral column and/or notochord)  2. Humans and all other vertebrates possess a notochord as an embryo and it eventually develops into the vertebral column.  3. A bundle of nerves run above the vertebral column (spinal cord) and the alimentary canal exists below it.  4. The mouth is present at the anterior portion of the animals or right below it.  5. The alimentary canal ends in the anus, which opens to the exterior. The tail extends after the anus. I. OBJECTIVE  1. To identify the general and specific features of the body of a representative organisms Sub- Phylum Vertebrata II. MATERIALS  Illustration of man (Homo sapiens)  Pencil and ruler  Colored pencils III. PROCEDURES  A. Examine the general view body plan of man, Homo sapiens.  1. Head – part where the brain, spinal cord and sense organs for monitoring external and internal environment are housed  2. Trunk – a structure that contains the body cavity or coelom  3. Tail – a caudal extension of the body wall  4. Two pairs of appendages that consist girdles (pectoral and pelvic) and limbs (forelimbs and hindlimbs) for tetrapods and fins for fishes  B. Identify the satellite characteristics of man, Homo sapiens.  1. Integumentary System: The integumentary system comprises the skin, hair, nails, and glands. It serves as a protective barrier against external threats, regulates body temperature, and houses sensory receptors for touch, pain, and pressure.  2. Skeletal System: The skeletal system consists of bones, cartilage, ligaments, and tendons. It provides support, protects internal organs, allows movement, and serves as a storehouse for minerals like calcium and phosphorus.  3. Muscular System: The muscular system is responsible for body movement. It includes smooth, skeletal, and cardiac muscles. Muscles maintain posture, generate heat, and facilitate voluntary and involuntary movements.  4. Nervous System: The nervous system is a complex network that includes the brain, spinal cord, and nerves. It coordinates and controls bodily functions, relays messages through electrical impulses, and plays a vital role in sensory perception, motor control, and cognition.  5. Cardiovascular System: The cardiovascular system, comprising the heart, blood vessels, and blood, transports oxygen, nutrients, hormones, and waste products throughout the body. It helps regulate body temperature, pH, and electrolyte balance and assists in immune system function.  6. Lymphatic System: The lymphatic system is a network of lymph nodes, lymph vessels, and organs (such as the spleen and thymus). It aids in immunity by filtering and returning interstitial fluid to the bloodstream and transporting fatty acids from the digestive system.  7. Respiratory System: The respiratory system encompasses the lungs, trachea, bronchi, and diaphragm. It facilitates the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide between the body and the environment, serving as the body's respiratory gas exchange system.  8. Digestive System: The digestive system comprises various organs, including the mouth, oesophagus, stomach, intestines, liver, and pancreas. It processes and breaks down food into nutrients for absorption in the small intestine. This system also eliminates waste through defecation.  9. Urinary System: The urinary system, consisting of the kidneys, ureters, bladder, and urethra, filters blood, removes waste products, regulates fluid balance, and assists in maintaining proper electrolyte levels and blood pressure.  10. Endocrine System: The endocrine system comprises glands, such as the pituitary, thyroid, adrenal, and reproductive glands. It produces hormones that regulate bodily functions, including growth, metabolism, reproduction, and development.  11. Reproductive System: The reproductive system differs between males and females. It enables the production of gametes necessary for reproduction and includes structures such as the ovaries, uterus, fallopian tubes, vagina, testes, seminal vesicles, prostate, and penis. IV. DRAWINGS  Label the external and internal body structures of man, (Homo sapiens). Apply color for distinction of parts. V. QUESTIONS  1. How would you describe the general body plan of man?  2. What is the most characteristic of vertebrates?  3. How are the lungs and heart connected?  4. What organ does the abdominal cavity hold?  5. After learning the general and specific body structures of man, describe in what ways he is superior to other mammals? Inferior to other mammals? VI. CONCLUSIONS