 Chordates are heterotrophic- they can’t make their own food.  They reproduce sexually instead of asexually.  All Chordates have a notochord (pliable rod like structure). A Chordate’s notochord doesn’t develop into a backbone, but when a Vertebrate is an embryo, theirs does.  Chordates have body segmentation.  All possess an endoskeleton (skeleton inside the body).  They have a complete digestive system.  Subphyla: Tunicata, Cephalochordata, and Vertebrata.

 Chordates are complex organisms with specialized cells.  They have bilateral symmetry- meaning they are usually proportioned.  This group of animals lives anywhere from land to sea to air.  Chordates “breath” in O 2 and expel CO 2.  They have a ventral heart (a chambered heart).  These animals also have a closed blood system (always within vessels).  May have a tail (ex. humans – coccyx).  The possess a nervous system and a brain.

 Reptiles- snake  Amphibians- frog  Mammals- cow  Birds- flamingo  Fish- shark/clown fish

 Reptiles are animals that are born on land from eggs and spend the majority of their lives on land.  Amphibians are creatures that are born from eggs with fish- like qualities, but develop into semi-aquatic animals.  Mammals are animals that are born by live birth and are fed their mother’s milk. They can live on land or in water.  Birds are organisms that are born out of eggs, but they are not fed their mother’s milk like mammals. They also possess wings and the majority fly.  Fish are divided into three groups: bony fish, cartilaginous fish, and jawless fish. Bony fish (fin fish) have a skeleton made of bone like in a clown fish. Cartilaginous fish have a skeleton made of cartilage like in sharks and rays. And jawless fish lack jaws like seen in the hagfish. All live in the water.

 58, 000 species of Chordata  Chordates can be cold or warm blooded.  They have the highest “developed brains” out of all the other phyla.  Chordates can be omnivores as well as herbivores and carnivores.

Brain POP. "BrainPOP | Science | Learn about Vertebrates." BrainPOP - Animated Educational Site for Kids - Science, Social Studies, English, Math, Arts. FWD Media, Inc., Web. 02 Feb < vertebrates/>. MCWDN. "Chordates." Monroe County Women's Disability Network. Monroe County Women's Disability Network. Web. 02 Feb About.com. "Spinal Chords." About.com. The New York Times Company, Web. 5 Feb "Page R55." McDougal Littell- Life Science. Houghton Mifflin, Print.