I. VERTEBRATE DIVERSITY, FUNCTION, AND EVOLUTION 1. The Diversity, Classification, and Evolution of Vertebrates 2. Vertebrate Relationships and Basic Structure 3. Early Vertebrates: Jawless Vertebrates and the Origin of Jawed Vertebrates II. NON-AMNIOTIC VERTEBRATES: FISHES AND AMPHIBIANS 4. Living in Water 5. Radiation of the Chondrichthyes 6. Dominating Life in Water: The Major Radiation of Fishes 7. Geography and Ecology of the Paleozoic Era 8. Living on Land 9. Origin and Radiation of Tetrapods 10. Salamanders, Anurans, and Caecilians III. SAUROSPIDA: TURTLES, LEPIDOSAURS, AND ARCHOSAURS11. Synapsids and Sauropsids: Two Approaches to Terrestrial Life 12. Turtles 13. The Lepidosaurs: Tuatara, Lizards, and Snakes 14. Ectothermy: A Low-Cost Approach to Life 15. Geography and Ecology of the Mesozoic Era16. Mesozoic Diapsids: Dinosaurs, Crocodilians, Birds, and Others 17. Avian Specializations IV. SYNAPSIDA: THE MAMMALS18. The Synapsida and the Evolution of Mammals 19. Geography and Ecology of the Cenozoic Era20. Mammalian Diversity and Characteristics21. Mammalian Specializations 22. Endothermy: A High-Energy Approach to Life 23. Body Size, Ecology, and Sociality of Mammals 24. Primate Evolution and the Emergence of Humans 25. The Impact of Humans on Other Species of Vertebrates