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Why are there no vertebrates with more than four limbs?

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Why are there no vertebrates with more than four limbs? Without getting too pedantic or overly technical, vertebrates[1] are defined - as the name suggests - by their vertebrae rather than their limbs. They are a diverse group, both today and in the past. read more

Point is, some vertebrates once had, in all probability, more than 4 “limbs” or at least their precursor fins. (OK, bony fish typically have dorsal fins too but these didn’t become limbs.) We don’t have a complete fossil record so we can’t be certain, of course. Placoderms aside, it’s probably unlikely but some others may have had more. read more

Number of legs in terrestrial vertebrates. Not only do mammals have four legs but actually all terrestrial vertebrates (which include mammals) have four legs. There are slight exceptions though as some lineages have lost their legs. Typically snakes have no legs anymore. read more

The reason that vertebrates in general are limited to four limbs may be because they are not segmented. vertebrates have one segment from which four limbs grow. An arthropod can have as many as four limbs per segment. Arthropods and annelids have a body made up of a large number of segments. read more

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Vertebrate limbs
Source: ncse.com

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