Phylum Chordata
The chordates
Five Chordate Hallmarks

Notochord – flexible rodlike structure;
extending length of body
Five Chordate Hallmarks

Dorsal tubular nerve cord
Five Chordate Hallmarks

Pharyngeal pouches and gill slits
Five Chordate Hallmarks

Endostyle or thyroid gland – secretes mucous
that traps food particles in pharyngeal cavity
Five Chordate Hallmarks

Postanal tail – tail extends beyond anus
Sixth Chordate Feature

Ventral Heart – heart located ventrally
Higher Classification of Chordata
 Phylum

Chordata
Subphylum Urochordata – tunicates, sea
squirts

Subphylum Cephalachordata – lancelets

Subphlum Vertebrata- vertebrates
Subphylum Urochordata
Sea Squirts or Tunicates
Urochordate Characteristics
 Have
a non-living tunic
 Most chordate features found in the free
living acidian larva
 Adults sessile filter feeders
Acidean Larva and Metamorphosis
Adult Urochordate
Subphylum
Cephalochordata
Lancelets
Cephalochordate Characteristics
 Notochord
and nerve cord found along
entire length of body, persists throughout
life
 Fish-like in form

Includes the lancelets (amphioxus)
Amphioxus
Subphylum Vertebrata
The Vertebrates
Vertebrate Characteristics
 Bony
or cartilaginous vertebrae
surrounding spinal cord
 Notochord only in embryonic stages,
persisting in some fishes
 Two superclasses according to presence
of jaws
Vertebrate Higher Classification

Superclass Agnatha - without jaws



Class Myxini – hagfishes
Class Cephalaspidomorphi – lampreys
Superclass Gnathostomata – with jaws







Class Chondrichthyes – sharks, rays, chimaeras
Class Actinopterygii – ray-finned fishes
Class Sarcopterygii – lobe-fin fishes
Class Amphibia – frogs, salamanders
Class Reptilia – snakes, lizards, crocodiles
Class Aves - birds
Class Mammalia - mammals