EVERYDAY SCIENCE

Detailed explanation-1: -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. A modern human-one species of mammal-is a familiar example of a chordate.

Detailed explanation-2: -Vertebrates are animals that have a backbone. All vertebrates belong to the phylum Chordata. They include fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals.

Detailed explanation-3: -The phylum chordata (animals with backbones) is divided into five common classes: fish, amphibians, reptiles, mammals and birds.

Detailed explanation-4: -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.

Detailed explanation-5: -The vertebrates have a vertebral column, something like the notochord. Vertebrates show all the characteristic features of the phylum Chordata, such as the notochord, dorsal nerve cord, pharyngeal slits and post-anal tail.