Some of the features of an animal are scales, teeth, nares, and backbone. The animal is likely to be a?

Step 1: Analyze the question We need an animal that has all four features: scales, teeth, nares (nostrils), and a backbone (vertebral column).

Step 2: Explain the concept All four options are vertebrates, so the backbone doesn't separate them. The key clue is scales, because different vertebrate classes have different body coverings:

• Amphibians (toad): moist, smooth skin with no scales
• Birds: feathers, with scales only on the legs, and no teeth (they have beaks)
• Reptiles (lizard): dry skin covered with horny scales, and they have teeth
• Mammals (rat): fur or hair, with scales only on the tail in some cases, and teeth

Step 3: Eliminate the options

• A. Toad: Its skin is moist and glandular, with no scales. Eliminated.
• B. Bird: Birds have feathers and no teeth. Eliminated.
• D. Rat: Its body is covered with fur, and its main covering is not scales. Eliminated.
• C. Lizard: It has scales covering the body, teeth in the jaws, external nares, and a backbone. It fits every feature.

Step 4: Answer The animal is likely a lizard, option C.

Step 5: Exam tip Link body coverings to classes:

• Fish and reptiles → scales
• Amphibians → moist skin
• Birds → feathers
• Mammals → hair/fur

When a question lists scales, think fish or reptile first. Here, no fish is offered, so the reptile (lizard) is the answer.