PHYLUM -CHORDATA

By:
Y.Sarvesan
11A1
BASIS OF CLASSIFICATION

• Levels of organisation
• Symmetry
• Diploblastic and triploblastic organisation
• Coelom
• Segmentation
• Notochord
PHYLUM

• Porifera
• Cnidaria
• Arthropoda
• Annelida
• Mollusca
PHYLUM
• Ctenophora
• Platyhelminthes
• Aschelminthes
• Echinodermata
• Hemichordata
• Chordata
PHYLUM – CHORDATA
• 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.
• They possess a bilaterally symmetrical body and are divided into three different sub-
phyla.
• Urochordata (tunicates),
• Cephalochordata (lancelets)
1. Vertebrata (vertebrates).
UROCHORDATA
The adults are fixed to the substratum.

It is also known as Tunicate because the body of an adult is enclosed within a tunic
made up of cellulose-like substance known as tunicin.

Notochord can be seen only in the larval stage and disappears in adults.

The nerve cord present in larva is replaced by a dorsal ganglion in adults.

The larva can move and undergoes a metamorphosis.

For e.g., Ascidia, Salpa, Doliolum.
CEPHALOCHORDATA

The atrium is present.

Motile adult and larval stage.

The tail is present throughout life.

They show progressive metamorphosis.

The notochord is found throughout life.

Numerous well-developed pharyngeal gill slits are present.

• For e.g., Lancelets possess the notochord and nerve cord throughout their life. However, they lack
the brain and bony vertebral column like branchiostoma .
VERTEBRATA
These are advanced chordates and have cranium around the brain.

The notochord is replaced by a vertebral column in adults. This is why it is said that ‘all
vertebrates are chordates but all chordates are not vertebrates’.

A high degree of cephalization is observed.

The epidermis is multi-layered.

They consist of three types of muscles-striped, unstriped and cardiac.

They have a well-developed coelom.

• The alimentary canal is complete.
VERTEBRATA
The heart is three or four-chambered.
They have well-developed respiratory and excretory systems.
Endocrine glands are present in all.
They are unisexual and reproduce sexually, hagfish being an
exception.
• For e.g., humans.
 VERTEBRATA
Subphylum Vertebrata is further classified into seven classes. They are:

Cyclostomata

Chondrichthyes

Osteichthyes

Amphibia

Reptilia

Aves
• Mammalia
 CLASS – CYCLOSTOMATA
The body is round and elongated like an eel.

The paired fins are absent.

Median fins with cartilaginous fin rays.

No paired appendages.

The skin is soft and smooth, devoid of any scales.

Spleen is absent.

The exoskeleton is absent. The endoskeleton is cartilaginous with no bones.

The notochord is present throughout their lives.

• The digestive system is devoid of any stomach.

CYCLOSTOMA

The nostril is single and median.

The gills are five to sixteen in pairs.

The heart is two-chambered.

The brain is visible.

The lateral line acts as a sense organ.

About ten pairs of cranial nerves are present.

The sexes are separate. Some hagfish species are believed to be hermaphrodite.

A pair of mesonephric kidneys make up the excretory system.

Development may be direct or indirect.

 CLASS- CHONDRICHTHYES
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 tail has two lobes, the upper lobe is elongated and vertebrae
extends into it and a shorter lower lobe, giving rise to the distinct heterocercal tail.

• The skin is covered by minute tooth-like structures called placoid scales.

 CHONDRICHTHYES

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.

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.

CHONDRICHTHYES

They contain a brain and a spinal cord, which is protected by vertebrae.

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.
• Ex : Scoliodin , Pristis
CLASS - OSTECHTHYES
With more than 29,000 species of bony fishes, it is the largest class of vertebrates.

It includes both marine and freshwater fishes, most of the commercially used fishes are included in this
class.

The size ranges from less than 8 mm in Paedocypris progenetica, which is also the smallest known
vertebrate to 4 m and weigh about 1500 kg in the ocean sunfish (Mola mola).

Their endoskeleton is made up of bones.

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.

OSTECHTHYES

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.
• Ex: Hippocampus (Sea horse) ,Exocetus (Flying fish) ,Lophius (Angler fish)Labeo catla
(Katla) , Clarias (Walking catfish) ,Mystus (Catfish)
CLASS- AMPHIBIA
These can live both on land and in water.

They are ectothermic animals, found in a warm environment.

Their body is divided into head and trunk. The tail may or may not be present.

The skin is smooth and rough without any scales, but with glands that make it moist.

They have no paired fins. Unpaired fins might be present.

They have two pairs of limbs for locomotion.

They respire through the lungs and skin. Gills might be present externally in some adult

The heart is three chambered.

• The kidneys are mesonephric. The excretory material includes ammonia and urea.

• Ex : Rana ,Salamandra
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.

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.
REPTILIA

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.

• Fertilisation is internal.

• Ex : Chelone, Testudo
CLASS- 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.

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.

• RBCs are oval, nucleated and biconvex.

AVES

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.

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

CLASS- MAMMALIA
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.
MAMMALIA

Mammals also possess cervical vertebrae.

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.