The phrase "vertebrate lineage" refers to a group of animals that have a common ancestor with a backbone or spine, including animals like fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals. Full definition
Thus, this study of a major vertebrate class highlights the future promise of large - scale comparative genomics, and we hope sets the stage for an approach for sequencing and analyses of many more genomes of birds and other vertebrate lineages. (science.sciencemag.org)
While the jawed vertebrate lineage spawned the majority of vertebrate life that exists on Earth today — «evolutionarily speaking, we are all bony fish,» says Gillis — lamprey and hagfish are the living remnants of a once extensive assemblage of primitively predatory jawless vertebrates. (sciencedaily.com)
«Previous studies of the shark immune system have already yielded some surprises in terms of antibody structure, and these new genetic findings further add to the box of biological novelties in this highly successful vertebrate lineage.» (sciencedaily.com)