vertebrate summary
Learn about the anatomy of vertebrates
Below is the article summary. For the full article, see vertebrate.
aardvark Summary
Aardvark, (Orycteropus afer), stocky African mammal found south of the Sahara Desert in savanna and semiarid areas. The name aardvark—Afrikaans for “earth pig”—refers to its piglike face and burrowing habits. The aardvark weighs up to 65 kg (145 pounds) and measures up to 2.2 metres (7.2 feet)
pinniped Summary
Pinniped, (suborder Pinnipedia), any of a group of 34 species of aquatic fin-footed mammals comprising seals, sea lions, and the walrus. Pinnipeds live only in rich marine environments and a few inland or tropical freshwater systems. Shaped like torpedoes, pinnipeds have wide torsos and narrower
duck Summary
Duck, any of various species of relatively small, short-necked, large-billed waterfowl. In true ducks—i.e., those classified in the subfamily Anatinae in the waterfowl family Anatidae—the legs are placed rearward, as in swans, rather than forward, as in geese. The result is a distinctive waddling
whale Summary
Whale, any of the larger species of aquatic mammals belonging to the order Cetacea. The term whale can be used in reference to any cetacean, including porpoises and dolphins, but in general it is applied to those more than 3 metres (10 feet) long. An exception is the 2.7-metre dwarf sperm whale