Fish Facts
The largest group of vertebrates in the world.
Fish
Amphibians usually begin life breathing through these.
Gills
The body covering that prevents water loss in reptiles.
scales
The body covering that helps birds fly and stay warm.
Feathers
All mammals feed their young with this.
Milk
The sensory organ fish use to detect movement and vibrations in water.
Lateral line
The life stage of a frog that breathes with gills and swims with a tail.
Tadpole
The scientific term for animals whose body temperature changes with their environment.
Ectotherms
The scientific term for “warm-blooded.”
Endothermic
The only egg-laying mammal found in Australia.
Platypus
The main difference between the skeleton of a shark and the skeleton of a tuna.
Shark = cartilage, Tuna = bone
The term for the transformation of a frog from larva to adult.
Metamorphosis
The main protein that makes reptile skin tough and protective.
Keratin
The bone feature that makes most birds lightweight for flight.
Hollow bones
The thick layer of fat that helps whales and seals survive in cold water.
Blubber
The fish group with tube-shaped bodies and no jaws.
Jawless fish
The main reason most amphibians must stay near water, even as adults.
Keep skin moist, lay eggs
The type of egg covering that allows reptiles to lay eggs on land without them drying out.
Hard or leathery
The name for the process of keeping eggs warm until they hatch.
Incubation
The main body covering that helps mammals regulate body temperature.
Fur or hair
The process in which fish release eggs and sperm into the water and fertilization happens outside the body.
external fertilazation
One major way amphibian reproduction is similar to fish reproduction.
soft eggs laid in water, external fertilization
The reptile order that includes alligators and crocodiles.
Crocodilians
One key advantage birds gain from being able to fly long distances between seasons.
Access to food and breeding areas
The largest mammal in the world.
Blue whale