Chordata

PHYLUM CHORDATA
members of this group have four characteristics that

are present in any of the stages in their life cycle:
notochord, dorsal hollow nerve cord, gill slits and a
post-anal tail
inmany chordates, the notochord later becomes the
backbone
the phylum contains about 43,700 species, making it
the third-largest phylum in the animal kingdom
the phylum Chordata is divided into three subphylums:
Tunicata (tunicates), Cephalachordata (lancelets), and
Vertebrata (vertebrates)
CHARACTERISTICS
Tunicataand Cephalochordata are also called Lower
Chordates.
Lower Chordates are also called invertebrate
chordates because they do not have backbone;
instead, they have notochord in the entire length of the
body and persists throughout their life.
they live in the sea
CHARACTERISTICS
Tunicates belong in this group.
The adult tunicates have only the gill slits present, but
the larva stages have all the four features of a
chordate.
they attach to solid materials like rocks or coral reefs
they are filter feeders
TUNICATA
Lancelets belong in this group.
They have 4 chordate characteristics present in the
adult stage
live in the sandy ocean bottom; suspension feeders
move in a fishlike motion
CEPHALOCHORDATA
most are sea and land dwellers forming the large group of
chordates
notochord is replaced by the backbone or the vertebral
column (plural is vertebrae)
nerve cord is enclosed by the projections of the vertebrae
theprotected nerve cord enlarges at the anterior end to
develop into the brain
tail can be the bone and muscle used for swimming
gill
slits may remain or modified into other structures for
gas exchange
VERTEBRATES
found in salty, fresh, cold, or even hot water
mosthave scales for protection, paired fins for
movement, and gills for gas exchange
may lay eggs or give birth to live young
they are cold-blooded
there are 3 major classes of fish: Class Agnatha,
Class Chondrichthyes, Class Osteichthyes
FISHES
“a=not”; “gnathos=jaw” CLASS AGNATHA
the jawless fishes
examples are lampreys and hag fish
“chondro=cartilage”; “ichthyes=fishes”
the cartilaginous fishes
skeleton is made of the soft, flexible protein material
called cartilage
most are covered with a tough, sandpaper-like skin
due to the presence of tooth-like scales
some eat floating planktons and invertebrates at the
bottom of the seas and oceans
examples are rays, skates and sharks
CLASS CHONDRICHTHYES
BUTANDING – THE LARGEST FISH
“osteon=bone”; “ichthyes=fishes”
the bony fishes
endoskeleton is made of hard, calcium material
called bone
examples are milkfish, tuna, goldfish, tilapia,
lungfish, eels, etc..
CLASS OSTEICHTHYES
LUNGFISH
EEL
QUESTION:
Compare the skeleton of the shark and the tilapia.

The skeleton of the shark is made of cartilage
while that of the tilapia is made of bones.
“amphios=double”; “bios=life”
larvalpart of life is spent in water and the adult part is
spent on land but close to water or damp habitats
most lay small, shell-less eggs surrounded by jelly-like
substance in moist places or in water, which will hatch
into tadpoles with gills and tails
they lose the tail to develop lungs as well as legs
theyalso have moist skin to help the lungs for gas
exchange while in dry land
first land vertebrates to emerge
CLASS AMPHIBIA
amphibians
are divided
into 3 orders:
Apoda
(Caecilians),
Caudata
(Salamander
s and Newts)
and Anura
(Frog and
Toads)
CLASS AMPHIBIA
“repere=to creep”
they exhibit more adaptations for living on land
they lay eggs with shells to protect them from drying
bodies are covered with smooth or rough scales for
protection from loss of body water
reptiliansare divided into 4 orders: Crocodilia (crocodiles
and alligators: 23 species), Sphenodontia (tuataras from
New Zealand: 2 species), Squamata (lizards and snakes:
about 7,900 species), Testudines (turtles and tortoises:
approximately 300 species)
CLASS REPTILIA
LIZARDS and SNAKES have smooth scales.
Lizards
typically have four legs, feet and external ears,
though some are legless, while Snakes lack both of these
characteristics.
Snakes have flexible jaws to swallow their prey whole.
ORDER SQUAMATA
CROCODILES and ALLIGATORS belong in this order
predatorsof fish, deers, small cows or carabaos, and
even attack humans
Alligatorslive in freshwater; Crocodiles live in fresh and
salty waters
ORDER CROCODILIA
TURTLES and TORTOISES belong in this order
their bodies are enclosed in a shell; the head, legs, and
tail are pulled inside the shell for protection
TORTOISES live on land; Turtles live mostly in water
ORDER TESTUDINES
“aves=birds”
most are adapted to fly due to: presence of wings and

feathers, large flight muscles in the breast bone and
reduced weight
birdsalso have eggs with shells; legs are covered with
scales
ingeneral, birds have scaly feet, wings for flight and
beaks or bills for food-getting
birds are warm-blooded
CLASS AVES
CLASS AVES
“mamma=breast”
have mammary glands that produce milk and most

have hair or fur
they breathe in air, have four-chambered hearts and
are warm-bloodied
thereare 3 main groups of mammals: Monotremata,
Marsupialia, and Placentalia
CLASS MAMMALIA
“trema=hole”
monotremes; the only egg-laying mammals

examples are the spiny anteater (echidnas) and the
duck-billed platypus
MONOTREMATA
“marsupium=pouch”
give birth to live young

afterbirth, the young are kept inside pouches and are
nourished with the milk
opossum, koalas, kangaroos, wombats and flying
phalangers belong in this group
MARSUPIALIA
the largest and most diverse form of chordates; 11 orders
also called eutherians, they bear fully developed young
inside the mother’s uterus
young are attached to the placenta
PLACENTALIA

Chordata

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PHYLUM CHORDATA

members of this group have four characteristics that

Compare the skeleton of the shark and the tilapia.

most are adapted to fly due to: presence of wings and

have mammary glands that produce milk and most

monotremes; the only egg-laying mammals

give birth to live young

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