VertebratesVertebrates

Fish Frogs Reptiles Birds

MarsupialsMammals Primates Rodents Whales, Dolphins

VertebratesVertebrates

From this fish family there sprang two unique modifications, the frog and the salamander.

The first backboned animals,

the fishes.

The human race has no surviving ancestry between the frog and the Eskimo.

The frogs gave rise The frogs gave rise to the to the ReptiliaReptilia, a , a great animal family great animal family which is virtually which is virtually extinct, but which, extinct, but which, before passing out of before passing out of existence, gave existence, gave origin to the whole origin to the whole bird family and the bird family and the numerous orders of numerous orders of mammals.mammals.

Probably the greatest single leap Probably the greatest single leap of all of all prehumanprehuman evolution was evolution was executed when the reptile executed when the reptile became a bird. became a bird.

The bird types of todayThe bird types of today——eagles, eagles, ducks, pigeons, ostrichesducks, pigeons, ostriches——all all descended from the enormous descended from the enormous reptiles of long, long ago.reptiles of long, long ago.

The kingdom of The kingdom of reptiles, reptiles, descended from descended from the frog family, is the frog family, is today represented today represented by four surviving by four surviving divisions:divisions:two two nonprogressivenonprogressive,,snakes snakes and lizards,and lizards,

together with their together with their cousins,cousins,alligatorsalligators

and turtles;and turtles;

one partially progressive, one partially progressive, the bird family,the bird family,

and the fourth, the ancestors and the fourth, the ancestors of mammals and the direct of mammals and the direct line of descent of the human line of descent of the human species.species.

But though long departed, the But though long departed, the massiveness of the passing massiveness of the passing ReptiliaReptilia found echo in the found echo in the elephant elephant and mastodon, and mastodon, while their peculiar forms were while their peculiar forms were perpetuated in the leaping perpetuated in the leaping kangaroos.kangaroos.

Only fourteen phyla have appeared on Urantia, the fishes being tOnly fourteen phyla have appeared on Urantia, the fishes being the he last, and no new classes have developed since birds and mammals.last, and no new classes have developed since birds and mammals.

phyla phyla n.pln.pl.. for phylum 1.for phylum 1. BiologyBiology. A primary division of a kingdom, as of the . A primary division of a kingdom, as of the animal kingdom, ranking next above a class in size.animal kingdom, ranking next above a class in size. [New Latin, from Greek [New Latin, from Greek phulonphulon, , class.]class.]

classclass n. n. 1.1. A set, collection, group, or configuration containing members rA set, collection, group, or configuration containing members regarded as egarded as having certain attributes or traits in common; a kind or categorhaving certain attributes or traits in common; a kind or category. y. BiologyBiology. A . A taxonomic category ranking below a phylum or division and above taxonomic category ranking below a phylum or division and above an order.an order. [French [French classeclasse, from Latin , from Latin classisclassis, class of citizens.], class of citizens.]

kingdomkingdom n.n. One of the three main divisions (animal, vegetable, and mineral)One of the three main divisions (animal, vegetable, and mineral) into into which natural organisms and objects are classified.which natural organisms and objects are classified. The highest taxonomic The highest taxonomic classification into which organisms are grouped, based on fundamclassification into which organisms are grouped, based on fundamental similarities ental similarities and common ancestry. One widely accepted taxonomic system designand common ancestry. One widely accepted taxonomic system designates five such ates five such classifications: animals, plants, fungi, prokaryotes, and classifications: animals, plants, fungi, prokaryotes, and protoctistsprotoctists. [Middle English, . [Middle English, from Old English from Old English cyningdomcyningdom : : cyningcyning, king.], king.]

It was from an agile It was from an agile little reptilian little reptilian dinosaur of dinosaur of carnivorous habits but carnivorous habits but having a having a comparatively large comparatively large brain that the brain that the placental mammals placental mammals suddenly suddenly sprang.sprang.

These mammals developed These mammals developed rapidly and in many rapidly and in many different ways, not only different ways, not only giving rise to the giving rise to the common modern common modern varieties but also varieties but also evolving into marine evolving into marine types, such as types, such as

whales whales and seals,and seals,

and into air navigators like the bat family.and into air navigators like the bat family.

The lemur ancestors of the human species The lemur ancestors of the human species were far more advanced in North America were far more advanced in North America than in other regions; and they were therefore than in other regions; and they were therefore led to migrate from the arena of western life led to migrate from the arena of western life implantation over the Bering land bridge and implantation over the Bering land bridge and down the coast to southwestern Asia, where down the coast to southwestern Asia, where they continued to evolve and to benefit by the they continued to evolve and to benefit by the addition of certain strains of the central life addition of certain strains of the central life group.group.

Man thus evolved out of certain western and Man thus evolved out of certain western and central life strains but in the central to nearcentral life strains but in the central to near--eastern regions.eastern regions.

The Bering Land BridgeThe Bering Land Bridge

This appearance of primitive man on earth during the ice age wasThis appearance of primitive man on earth during the ice age was not not just an accident; it was by design. The rigors and climatic sevejust an accident; it was by design. The rigors and climatic severity of rity of the glacial era were in every way adapted to the purpose of fostthe glacial era were in every way adapted to the purpose of fostering ering the production of a hardy type of human being with tremendous the production of a hardy type of human being with tremendous survival endowment.survival endowment.