In this chapter, you will learn about the first groups of vertebrates. You will examine trends in early vertebrate evolution and then study the characteristics of fishes and amphibians that live today.

In this chapter, you will: describe the distinguishing characteristics of vertebrates explain how fishes carry out their essential life functions describe the three basic groups of fishes and give an example of each describe how a typical amphibian carries out its essential life functions compare the two major living orders of amphibians