VERTEBRATE PROJECT
Harrison Levin
CLASS AGNATHA
Sea Lamprey

Scientific Name:


Petromyzon marinus
Environment:

found only in the Mediterranean
and North Atlantic, in the coastal
seas off the North East USA, Nova
Scotia, southern Greenland, the
UK, Ireland and Scandinavia. It is
also found in the Great Lakes and
enters inland freshwater rivers and
streams to breed. In its natural
habitat, the sea lamprey lives in
the open ocean, migrating into
freshwater to spawn.
SEA LAMPREY
Characteristics

Attack:


Attacks a wide range of salt- and
freshwater fish, including
herring, mackerel, salmon, trout
and even some sharks, using its
'sucker' to attach to its host and
rasp out a whole with its rough
tongue.
Physical:


Sea lampreys grow up to 1.2 m
in length, weighing up to 2.5 kg.
Are easily identified by the wide
oral disc ('sucker') in place of
their mouth, which is filled with
many small teeth arranged in
circular rows
CLASS CHONDRICHTHYES
Great White Shark


Scientific Name:
 Carcharodon carcharias
Environment:

Found in all cold temperate and
tropical waters, from 60°N latitude
to 60°S latitude
GREAT WHITE SHARK
Characteristics

Interesting Facts:




Olfactory bulbs: cells in the nose
where information is analyzed.
Do not need to drink
Reach lengths of over 6.1 m long
and weigh up to 2,268 kg
Attack:

Swim over the ocean ground
looking for prey such as seals and
shoot up stunning and taking a bite
out of the victim
CLASS OSTEICHTHYES
Rainbow Trout

Scientific Name:


Oncorhynchus mykiss
Environment:

Native to tributaries of the
Pacific Ocean in Asia and North
America as well as much of the
central, western, eastern, and
especially the northern portions
of the United States
RAINBOW TROUT
Characteristics

Importance:


Physical:



Fisheries: highly commercial;
aquaculture: commercial
Swim bladder: remain buoyant
Can breath without swimming
Feeding:

Close to bottom
CLASS AMPHIBIA
Panamanian Golden Frog

Scientific Name:


Atelopus zeteki
Environment:

In wet forest stream habitats, the
frogs are dispersed in and along
streams
PANAMANIAN GOLDEN FROG
Characteristics

Physical:




Gills and/or lungs in order to breath
Skin is soft
Adult males measure 39-48 and
weigh 8-12 g, while adult females
measure 55-63 mm and weigh 1015 g
Defense:

Capable of secreting poison to help
protect themselves from predators
CLASS REPTILIA
Western Diamondback
Rattlesnake

Scientific Name:


Crotalus atrox
Environment:

Unhabit dry, rocky, shrub-covered
terrain where they can conceal
themselves inside crevices in the
rocks or in mouse holes.
WESTERN DIAMONDBACK RATTLESNAKE
Characteristics

Physical:



Pit Organ: The membrane senses very
slight temperature differences
between the snake's inner and
ambient temperatures
Each link of the rattle is the remnant
of a molted skin; as the snake molts,
the last scale loosens but does not
fall off. As the snake ages, new rattles
are formed with each molt, while old
rattles simultaneously fall off.
Behavior:

are aggressive and easily excitable.
This species causes more fatalities
than any other snake in the United
States. They are not necessarily apt to
attack offensively, but are rather
highly defensive
CLASS AVES
Toucan

Scientific Name:


Ramphastos sulfuratus
Environment:

Toucans live in the rainforests of
Central and South America
TOUCAN
Characteristics

Three Adaptations:


The first one is that they have bills in
order to eat food. The second one is
the feathers it has to protect their
body. The last one is that it's wings
help them fly away from predators.
Facts:



Scientists haven't figured out why the
bills of the toucan are so big
Toucans are frugivors (animals that
eat fruits)
They sleep in holes that are in trees
CLASS MAMMALIA
Fox Squirrel

Scientific Name:


Sciurus niger
Environment:

Fox squirrels are found in a
diverse array of deciduous and
mixed forest. Areas with a good
variety of tree species are
preferred due to variability in mast
production. (eastern and central
United States, south into northern
Mexico, and north into Canada)
FOX SQUIRREL
Characteristics

Physical:


Eating:


Have excellent vision, even in dim light.
They have well-developed senses of
hearing and smell
Gall insects, moths, beetles, bird, eggs,
and dead fish. Acorn, hickory, walnut,
mulberry, and hawthorne seeds are
preferred
Interesting Fact:

play a significant role in shaping the of
forests. They may eat almost all of the
tree seeds that trees produce in some
years. When squirrels bury seeds and
forget them, these seeds are likely to
sprout where they were placed
WORK CITED







Petromyzon marinus, Sea Lamprey - MarineBio.org. Retrieved Thursday, March
19, 2009, from http://marinebio.org/species.asp?id=542.
Carcharodon carcharias, Great White Shark - MarineBio.org. Retrieved Thursday,
March 19, 2009, from http://marinebio.org/species.asp?id=38.
"Oncorhynchus mykiss ." 15, Jan 2009. 19 Mar 2009
<http://www.fishbase.org/summary/Speciessummary.php?id=239>.
Information on amphibian biology and conservation. [web application]. 2009.
Berkeley, California: AmphibiaWeb. Available: http://amphibiaweb.org/.
(Accessed: Mar 19, 2009).
Ingmarsson, L. 2002. "Crotalus atrox" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed
March 20, 2009 at
http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Crotalus_at
rox.html.
"Species from the Peruvian Jungle." Toucan. n/a. 19 Mar 2009
<http://www.amersol.edu.pe/ms/7th/7block/jungle_research/cards/40card.ht
ml>.
Fahey, B. 2001. "Sciurus niger" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed March
20, 2009 at
http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Sciurus_nig
er.html.