Animal (Vertebrate) Evolution - Animals in the Fossil sites, and Biodiversity

Classified animal picture guide. Highlighting the link of species shows the images, and clicking a link shows Evolutionary Tree.

• Kingdom Animalia
  • Phylum Chordata ⇒ Class Fish

    Primitive chordata

    Haikouella (542～513 Mya), Pikaia (513～501 Mya), Promissum (449～443.7 Mya), Palaeospondylus (397～385 Mya)

    • Subphylum Vertebra
      • Superclass Agnatha (Oldest fishes, Hagfish, Lamprey) Jawless fish
        • Class Myxini (Hagfish)

          		Primitive vertebrata	Haikouichthys (535～520 Mya), Myllokunmingia (542～516 Mya)
          		Jawless fish	Arandaspis (479～460.5 Mya; Oldest fishes), Thelodus (443.7～409.1 Mya), Drepanaspis (409.1～391.9 Mya)

      • Infraphylum Gnathostomata (Jawed vertebrates)
        • Class Placodermi (Armoured fish)

          Armoured fish

          Pterichthyodes (392～386 Mya), Dunkleosteus (380–360 Mya; １０m), Bothriolepis (376.1～359.2 Mya)

        • Class Chondrichthyes (Ray, Shark)

          Cartilaginous fish

          Cladoselache (376.1～359.2), Orodus (302～290 Mya), Edestus (318.1 to 260.5 Mya), Hybodus (268.0 to 65.5 Mya; Great Dying③④)

        • Class Acanthodii (Spiny sharks)

          Spiny shark

          Climatius (418.7～412.3 Mya), Ischnacanthus (421.3～409.1 Mya), Cheiracanthus (390～380 Mya)

        • Class Sarcopterygii (Four-limbed vertebrate, Coelacanth, Lungfish)
          • Subclass Tetrapodomorpha (Four-limbed vertebrate) ⇒ Class Amphibia

            Lobe-finned fish

            Osteolepis (400～380 Mya), Panderichthys (383.7～376.1 Mya; Amphibia like), Tiktaalik (383.7～376.1 Mya; Amphibia like), Ventastega (385.3～374.5 Mya; Amphibia like), Eusthenopteron (385 Mya)

          • Subclass Coelacnathimorpha (Coelacanth)

            Coelacanth

            Comorese coelacanth (410 Mya～; Great Dying②③④⑤), Rhabdoderma (362～290 Mya; Great Dying②)

          • Subclass Dipnoi (Lungfish)

            Lungfish

            Dipnorhynchus (409.1～391.9 Mya), Queensland lungfish (100 Mya～; Great Dying⑤), (Lepidosiren paradoxa) (70.6 Mya～; Great Dying⑤), African lungfish' (99.6 Mya～; Great Dying⑤)

        • Class Actinopterygii (Most living fishes)

          Ray-finned fish

          Cheirolepis (380.8～367 Mya), Saurichthys (258～164.7 Mya; Great Dying④), Leedsichthys (165～155 Mya; ２８m)

        • Class Amphibia

          Primitive amphibia

          Elginerpeton (395 Mya; Primitive tetrapoda), Ichthyostega (374～359 Mya), Acanthostega (365 Mya), Tulerpeton (365 Mya), Pederpes (353.8～349.5 Mya; Missing-link), Eucritta (350 Mya), Westlothiana (336～332.9 Mya; Primitive amniotes), Archegosaurus (297.5-258 Mya)

          • Superorder Reptiliomorpha (Reptile-like amphibia) ⇒ Class Reptile

            Primitive amniota

            Westlothiana (336～332.9 Mya; Primitive amniotes), Casineria (339.4～336 Mya; Primitive amniotes)

        • Class Synapsida (Mammal-like reptiles)

          Mammal-like reptile

          Archaeothyris (307.1～305 Mya; Earliest mammal-like reptile), Biarmosuchus (255 Mya)

          • Division Mammaliaformes (Mammal-shaped) ⇒ Class Mammalia

            Primitive mammal

            Adelobasileus (228～216.5 Mya; Earliest mammals), Morganucodon (203.6～189.6 Mya; Great Dying④), Megazostrodon (199.6～189.6 Mya; Earliest mammals)

        • Class Sauropsida (Non mammal-like reptiles)
          • Subclass Anapsida (No arch near the temples)

            Primitive reptile

            Hylonomus (318.1～313.4 Mya; Earlist reptiles), Mesosaurus (284～279.5 Mya; Earlist reptiles)

          • Subclass Diapsida (Two arches near the temples)
            • Infraclass Archosauromorpha (Crocodiles, Pterosaurs, Dinosaurs)
              • Clade Crurotarsi (Crocodiles and the relatives)
                • Order Crocodyliformes (Crocodile's relative)

                  Primitive crocodile

                  Gracilisuchus (237～228 Mya; Ancestors of crocodiles), Protosuchus (199.6～196.5 Mya; First crocodile), Sarcosuchus (145.5～93.5 Mya; １２m)

              • Clade Ornithodira (Pterosaurs, Dinosaurs)
                • Order Ornithischia (Herbivorous dinosaurs)

                  Primitive dino

                  Eoraptor (228～216.5 Mya), Pisanosaurus (216.5～203.6 Mya; Primtive dino), Lesothosaurus (199.6～189.6 Mya)

                • Order Saurischia (Dinosaurs) ⇒ Class Aves

                  		Primitive bird	Protoavis (210 Mya), Epidendrosaurus (167.7～150.8 Mya), Archaeopteryx (150.8～145.5 Mya)
                  		Bird's relative dino	Sinornithosaurus (125～112 Mya), Microraptor (125～112 Mya), Unenlagia (89.3～85.8 Mya), Velociraptor (85.8～70.6 Mya)

        • Class Aves
          • Subclass Archaeornithes (Most primitive birds)

            Primitive bird

            Changchengornis (145.5～125 Mya), Eoconfuciusornis (136.4～125 Mya), Confuciusornis (125～112 Mya)

        • Class Mammalia
          • Subclass Prototheria (First wild animal)

            Monotreme

            Steropodon (112～99.6 Mya), Platypus (5.33 Mya～)

          • Subclass Theria (Wild animal)
            • Infraclass Metatheria (Marsupials)

              Primitive marsupial

              Sinodelphys (130～125 Mya), Yalkaparidon (23～16 Mya)

            • Infraclass Eutheria (Placentals; all mammals included except for the above)

              Primitive mammal

              Eomaia (130～125 Mya), Cimolestes (83.5～63.3 Mya), Leptictidium (48.6～40.4 Mya)

              • Clade Atlantogenata
                • Group I Afrotheria (Tenrec, Hyrax, Elephant, Sea-cow)
                • Group II Xenarthra (Armadillo, Anteater, Sloth, Groud sloth)
              • Clade Boreoeutheria
                • Group III Euarchontoglires (Primate, Rabbit, Rodent)
                • Group IV Laurasiatheria (Whale, Even-toed ungulate, Odd-toed ungulate, Bat, Carnivora)