DATA

C H O R
 The chordates are a phylum of animals within the deuterostomes, which have the
following common similarities:
 A notochord. A flexible, supportive rod, made from material similar to cartilage. In the
vertebrates this is replaced by the vertebral column during development.
 A hollow dorsal nerve chord—This is formed from the ectoderm and runs the length of
the body. In vertebrates, this makes up the central nervous system.
 A post-anal tail. A tail that extends beyond the anus in at least some point of their
development.
 Pharyngeal gill slits in at least some point of their development. These are openings
within the throat that allow the animal to breathe underwater. In marine organisms these
become functioning gills, and in terrestrial animals they are modified for alternative
functions.
 SUBPHYLUM UROCHORDATA

• The urochordates possess a Notochord, a hollow nerve

cord and a post-anal tail.
• Their body has more than two cell layers and includes
tissues and organs.
• They have a U shaped gut.
• Their body has no coelomic body cavity.
• Their body is wholly enclosed in a 'tunic' of secreted
protein and cellulose-like material.
• They are hermaphroditic, normally with only
one ovary and testis.
• They have a nervous system composed of an
anterior ganglion.
• They have no excretory organs.
• Urochordates has a distinct larval stage.
• All are filter feeders.
• They live in marine environments.
Tunicates
 Subphylum Cephalochordata
 Features:
• The body of the cephalochordates is fish-like and is useful for burrowing and
swimming.
• They usually have a head and a tail.
• Appendages are absent.
• Dorsal, caudal and ventral fins are present.
• Body- wall shows one- cell thick, non-ciliated epidermis, dermis, connective
tissue, striated muscle and parietal peritoneum.
• Notochord extends from the anterior end to the posterior end.
• Cephalochordates reproduce by releasing their eggs and sperm into the
water, where they are fertilized externally. The fertilized eggs develop into
free-swimming larvae that drift in the water for up to 200 days, feeding on
plankton and other suspended matter, before settling down as adults.
 Subphylum Vertebrata or Vertebrates
Characteristics of Vertebrates
A vertebrate is an animal that has all of the following
characteristic features at some point in its life:
• A stiff rod running through the length of the animal (it
could either be the vertebral column and/or notochord)
• Humans and all other vertebrates possess a notochord as
an embryo and it eventually develops into the vertebral
column.
• A bundle of nerves run above the vertebral
column (spinal cord) and the alimentary
canal exists below it.
• The mouth is present at the anterior portion
of the animals or right below it.
• The alimentary canal ends in the anus,
which opens to the exterior. The tail extends
after the anus.
 Vertebrate Reproduction
Vertebrates reproduce sexually, and almost all of them
have separate male and female sexes. Recall that sexual
reproduction is the joining of gametes during fertilization,
producing genetically variable offspring.
Generally, aquatic species have external fertilization,
whereas terrestrial species have internal fertilization in
almost all mammals.
 Three reproductive strategies:
• Ovipary refers to the development of an embryo within an egg outside the
mother’s body. This occurs in most amphibians and reptiles and in all
birds.
• Ovovivipary refers to the development of an embryo inside an egg within
the mother’s body until it hatches. The mother provides no nourishment to
the developing embryo inside the egg. This occurs in some species
of fish and reptiles.
• Vivipary refers to the development and nourishment of an embryo within
the mother’s body. Birth may be followed by a period of parental care of
the offspring. This reproductive strategy occurs
 Ovoviviparous

ro us s
Ov ipa a ro u
Vivip
 7 Classifications of Vertebrates:
 1. Mammals (Class Mammalia)
 2. Birds (Class Aves)
 3. Reptiles (Class Reptilia)
 4. Amphibians (Class Amphibia)
 5. Bony fishes (Class Osteichthyes)
 6. Cartilaginous fishes (Class Chondrichthyes)
 7. Jawless fishes (Class Agnatha)
 Jawless fishes (Class Agnatha)
 Features:
 These are very primitive fishes that have not changed much from
fossil records for millions of years.
 They have a jawless, circular mouth with rows of small sharp
which aid in holding and feeding on other fishes. Most members
of this class are parasites and scavengers.
 Members of the class Agnatha reproduce in the water through
external fertilization, meaning that females lay eggs that are
later fertilized by males.
 Mostly oviparous.
 Examples are Lamprey and Hagfish.
 Cartilaginous fishes (Class Chondrichthyes)
 As the name suggests, this class is characterized by the cartilaginous
skeleton.
 Members include sharks, rays, skates and sawfish.
• They are mostly marine fishes.
• They contain a pair of jaws. Their jaws are very powerful.
• Whale sharks are the second largest vertebrate and the largest fish. Some
whale sharks measure up to 15 m in length.
• The mouth is present ventrally.
• They contain cartilaginous endoskeleton, the deposits of calcium salts
provide strength to it.
• The notochord is present throughout life.
• Most of them contain a heterocercal tail.
• The skin is covered by minute tooth-like structures called placoid
scales.
• Their teeth are modified placoid scales and are not attached to
jawbones. They are embedded in the tissue. Old teeth fall and are
continuously replaced by the new teeth formed behind it.
• They contain 5-7 pairs of gills. Gaseous exchange occurs through
the water current that passes over the gills.
• They lack air bladders so they swim actively to avoid sinking.
 …(Class Chondrichthyes)
• They lack air bladders so they swim actively to avoid sinking.
• They are poikilotherms or cold-blooded animals and lack the capacity to regulate
their internal body temperature.
• They are predatory fishes, they feed on other fishes, crustaceans and molluscs.
They filter food particles like planktons from the water current that passes through
the mouth, pharynx and gills.
• The heart is two-chambered, contains one auricle and one ventricle.
• They contain a brain and a spinal cord, which is protected by vertebrae.
• Male and females are separate and have internal fertilization. Skates and some
sharks are oviparous, most of the sharks are ovoviviparous and a few are
viviparous.
• Adult males bear claspers on their pelvic fins. These are used to transfer sperms
to the cloaca of a female.
• Sense organs are well developed. They have the ability to
detect their prey electrically. Sharks contain electroreceptors
on their head, which can sense the electric current generated
by the movement of their prey. It also helps them in
navigation.
• It also has sensory cells in the lateral line organ, which detect
all the kinds of vibration, motion, water pressure surrounding
them.
• Some of them possess electric organs or poison sting, which
are used for defence as well as predation.
• The digestive system comprises a mouth, pharynx, stomach,
intestine (straight) and cloaca present on the ventral side.
Cloaca has a dual function in females and also acts as a
reproductive organ apart from excretion.
 Examples:

Chimera
 Bony fishes (Class Osteichthyes)
 This class of fishes is characterized by their skeleton which is
composed primarily of bone rather than cartilage (such as
sharks). Class Osteichthyes is also the largest class of vertebrates
today.
 Osteichthyes is subdivided into two subclasses:
1. Sarcopterygii- lobe-finned fish
2. Actinopterygii- ray-finned fish
• Paired and median fins are present, which are supported by long
rays of cartilage or bone. Fleshy lobed fins are present in
sarcopterygians. These types of fins are supported by bones
having joints. These are adapted to live at the bottom of the sea.
• The tail is mostly homocercal.
• They contain a swim bladder or air bladder, which
provides buoyancy to them and prevents sinking.
The swim bladder also facilitates gaseous
exchange.
• The mouth is terminal.
• Bony fishes contain four pairs of gills. A protective
covering of a bony flap known as the operculum
protects the gills.
• The sarcopterygians, lungfishes and lobe-finned
fishes contain lungs.
 …(Class Osteichthyes)
• The skin is covered by bony dermal scales known as ganoid,
cycloid or ctenoid scales.
• They are poikilotherms or cold-blooded animals and lack the
capacity to regulate their internal body temperature. Some of the
larger marine fishes like tuna, swordfish, etc. show some level of
endothermy.
• The heart is two-chambered, contains one auricle and one ventricle.
Lungfishes have a three-chambered heart with two auricles and one
ventricle.
• The brain has a small olfactory lobe and cerebellum. There are ten
pairs of cranial nerves present.
• The lateral line organ contains hydrodynamic receptors. The
sensory unit is called neuromasts. It helps in sensing vibration,
water pressure, navigation and locating their prey.
• Cloaca is absent, different genital and anal openings are present.
• They are ammonotelic and have mesonephric kidneys.
• Sexes are mostly separate but some are hermaphrodites. They
are mostly oviparous and lay a huge amount of eggs.
Fertilisation is mostly external and direct development.
• In the male Hippocampus, the brood pouch is present, where
eggs incubate.
Examples:
 Amphibians (Class Amphibia)
 The characteristics of the organisms present in class amphibia are as follows:
1. These can live both on land and in water.
2. They are ectothermic animals, found in a warm environment.
3. Their body is divided into head and trunk. The tail may or may not be present.
4. The skin is smooth and rough without any scales, but with glands that make it moist.
5. They have no paired fins. Unpaired fins might be present.
6. They have two pairs of limbs for locomotion.
7. They respire through the lungs and skin. Gills might be present externally in some adults.
8. The heart is three chambered.
9. The kidneys are mesonephric. The excretory material includes ammonia and urea.
 ….amphibians

10. They possess ten pairs of cranial nerves.

11. The lateral line is present during their development.
12. The sexes are separate and fertilization is usually external. However, in
salamanders, the fertilization is internal.
13. Development is indirect with metamorphosis.
14. Breeding occurs in water. The copulatory organs are absent in males.
15. Eg., Frogs, Salamanders.
 Class Reptilia
 These were the first class of organisms to adapt to life on land. They are
believed to have evolved from the amphibians millions of years ago. There
are about 10000 different species of reptiles on earth. They are cold-blooded
animals belonging to the phylum Chordata of Animal kingdom.
 The skull of the reptiles is modified that gives the reptiles an efficient and
powerful jaw action. The modification also makes the skull light.
 Characteristics of Reptilia
 Following are the important characteristics of the animals belonging to Class
Reptilia:
• These are creeping and burrowing terrestrial animals with scales on their
body.
• They are cold-blooded animals found in most of the warmer regions of the
world.
• Their skin is dry, and rough, without any glands.
 …Reptilia…
• The body is divided into head, neck, trunk, and tail.
• Few of these shed the scales on their skin as skin cast.
• The respiration takes place with the help of the lungs.
• The skull is monocondylic.
• Limbs may or may not be present. If they have limbs, they are two pairs of pentadactyl limbs, each bearing
claws. Snakes do not have limbs.
• The heart is 3 chambered. However, crocodiles have a 4-chambered heart.
• The nervous system comprises 12 pairs of cranial nerves.
• Reptiles do not have external ear openings. Tympanum represents ear
• They possess a typical cloaca.
• Reptiles are generally uricotelic. They mostly excrete nitrogenous wastes as uric acid.
• Fertilization is internal.
• They are oviparous and the eggs are very yolky. Development is direct.
• E.g., Snakes, Turtles, Lizards, Crocodiles.
 Class Aves
 Aves, also known as birds, are a group of endothermic vertebrates,
characterized by feathers, toothless beaked jaws, the laying of hard-shelled
eggs, a high metabolic rate, a four-chambered heart, and a strong yet
lightweight skeleton.
 Characteristics of Aves
• Birds are warm-blooded animals.
• Their forelimbs are modified into wings.
• They have well-developed flight muscles that help during the flight.
• Their hind limbs are adapted for walking, hopping, perching, grasping, wading
and swimming.
• There are epidermal scales on their legs.
• The endoskeleton is bony with long hollow bones filled with air cavities. known
as pneumatic bones.
 …Aves….
• Their spindle-shaped body minimizes resistance of the wind.
• The feathers help in preventing heat loss and reduce air friction by
providing passage to the air.
• There is no skin gland except the oil gland.
• The lower and upper and jaws are modified into a beak.
• They have no teeth.
• They have sharp eyesight.
• The alimentary canal has a crop and a gizzard. The crops help in
softening food, and the gizzard helps in crushing the food.
 …Aves…
• Pigeons and other seed-eating birds lack a gall bladder.
• They have spongy and elastic lungs for respiration.
• The special vocal organ called syrinx is present at the base of trachea.
• Their heart is four-chambered.
• RBCs are oval, nucleated and biconvex.
• 12 pairs of cranial nerves are present.
• They have a single ovary and oviduct on the left side
• All the birds are oviparous and exhibit sexual dimorphism. The eggs have four embryonic
membranes- amnion, chorion, allantois, and yolk sac.
 Class Mammalia
 Animals belonging to class Mammalia are referred to as mammals.
Mammals are one of the most evolved species in the animal kingdom
categorized under vertebrata.
 Theyexhibit advanced characteristics which set them apart from all other
animals. They are characterized by the presence of mammary glands
through which they feed their younger ones.
 They are distributed worldwide and have adapted well to their
surroundings – from oceans, deserts and polar regions to rainforests and
rivers etc.
 Following are a list of distinct characteristics of mammals that separates them from other
classes:
• Mammals are warm-blooded animals who give birth to their younger ones.
• They are the most dominant form of animals found in almost all types of habitats.
• They have mammary glands that help them produce milk to feed their younger ones
• Presence of region of the brain known as Neocortex
• Their skin possesses oil glands (sebaceous glands) and sweat glands (sudoriferous
glands).
• The fur of hair throughout the body which helps animals adapt to their environment.
• They are heterodont, i.e., possess different types of teeth.
• Mammals also possess cervical vertebrae.
 …mammals…
• The skull is dicondylic.
• The trunk is divided into thorax and abdomen.
• The mammals respire through lungs.
• Good sense of hearing as mammals are aided with 3 middle ear bones
• Mammals have a four-chambered heart. The sinus venous and renal portal system are
absent.
• Presence of single-boned lower jaws.
• The brain is well developed divided into cerebrum, cerebellum and medulla.
• They possess 12 pairs of cranial nerves.
• Exhibit one of the most advanced forms of Diaphragms.
• The mammals can lay eggs also. They are known as viviparous.
 Sources:
 https://www.toppr.com/ask/content/concept/chordates-characteristics-and-classific
ation-264845/
 https://bit.ly/3KrTZdt