AP BIOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -The phylum name derives from the Greek root word chord-meaning string. Most species within the phylum Chordata are vertebrates, or animals with backbones (subphylum Vertebrata). Examples of vertebrate chordates include fishes, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals.

Detailed explanation-2: -The phylum chordata (animals with backbones) is divided into five common classes: fish, amphibians, reptiles, mammals and birds.

Detailed explanation-3: -Phylum Chordata belongs to the Kingdom Animalia and includes all the vertebrates, i.e., animals with a backbone, and several invertebrates, i.e., organisms without a backbone.

Detailed explanation-4: -The phylum Chordata contains all of the animals that have a rod-like structure used to give them support. In most cases this is the spine or backbone. Within Chordata there are five classes of animals: fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals.

Detailed explanation-5: -The prevailing view holds that the phylum Chordata consists of three subphyla: Urochordata (Tunicata), Cephalochordata and Vertebrata (figure 1a). All three groups are characterized by possession of a notochord, a dorsal, hollow neural tube (nerve cord), branchial slits, an endostyle, myotomes and a postanal tail.