Chapter 27, Problem 5TY

Summary Introduction

Introduction:

Greek meaning of ‘Tetrapoda’ is ‘four legs’. The main groups of ‘Tetrapoda’ are reptiles (including birds and dinosaurs), mammals, and amphibians. A super-class of animals/organisms which includes all limbed vertebrates is termed as tetrapod. It comprises all species that have four feet that are alive today.

Four living classes (birds, mammals, reptiles, and amphibians) are included in Tetrapoda. A part of larger groups of Tetrapods is termed as ‘Sarcopterygii’.

Some Tetrapods, forfeited their limbs through the evolution and speciation.  For example, snake and whales have no legs but because of their ancestry they are still listed as tetrapod.