24 ANIMAL EVOLUTION— THE VERTEBRATES Chapter Outline IMPACTS, ISSUES: INTERPRETING AND MISINTERPRETING THE PAST 24.1 THE CHORDATE HERITAGE Chordate Characteristics Invertebrate Chordates A Braincase but No Backbone 24.2 EVOLUTIONARY TRENDS AMONG THE VERTEBRATES Early Craniates Key Innovations Major Vertebrate Groups 24.3 JAWED FISHES AND THE RISE OF TETRAPODS Cartilaginous Fishes “Bony Fishes” The First Tetrapods 24.4 AMPHIBIANS—FIRST TETRAPODS ON LAND Evolutionary High Points The Main Modern Groups 24.5 VANISHING ACTS 24.6 THE RISE OF AMNIOTES 24.7 SO LONG, DINOSUARS 24.8 PORTFOLIO OF MODERN “REPTILES” General Characteristics Major Groups 24.9 BIRDS—THE FEATHERED ONES 24.10 THE RISE OF THE MAMMALS 24.11 FROM EARLY PRIMATES TO HOMINIDS Overview of Key Trends Origins and Early Divergences 24.12 EMERGENCE OF EARLY HUMANS Animal Evolution—The Vertebrates 1 Early Hominids Early Humans 24.13 EMERGENCE OF MODERN HUMANS Branchings of the Human Lineage Where Did Modern Humans Originate? Leaving Home SUMMARY SELF‐QUIZ CRITICAL THINKING Animal Evolution—The Vertebrates 2