CLASSIFICATION OFPHYLUM CHORDATA (Young 1981)

Phylum- Chordata
Subphylum- Hemichordata Urochordata Cephalochordata Vertebrata

Characteristics of Chordate
i. Dorsal notochord present at some stage of development.
ii. Dorsal hollow tubular nerve cord present.
i. Pharyngeal gill slits present at some stage of development.
iv. Muscular, locomotors, past-anal tail is present at some stage of development.
V. A pharyngeal endostyle (proto-chordates) converted into thyroid gland (vertebrates).
vi. Gut complete, regionally specialized.
Vil. Bilaterally symmetrical, coelomate deuterosome.

Taree signature characteristics of chordates.

1) Notochord is present in any stage of the life-history. It is a slender rod that emerges out of the dorsal wall of
the embryonic gut in primitive chordates. Notochord lies dorsal to the coelom and parallel beneath the central
nervous system. The notochord is composed of large vacuolated cells. Notochord provides mechanical support
and lateral flex to the body.
2) Pharyngeal gill-slit is one of the fundamental feature of the chordates. In the digestive tract, immediately
posterior to the mouth, a spacious cavity is called pharynx. During some point in the life cycle of all chordates
the walls of the pharynx are pierced or nearly pierced, by a lateral series of openings. These openings are called
pharyngeal gill slits. The sits are simple openings only, with no significant role in respiration. In many
primitive chordates, these openings serve primarily in feeding.
3) Dorsal hollow tubular nerve cord is derived from the embryonic ectoderm by a process of invagination. In
chordates, the nerve cord lies above the gut and is hollow along its entire length. The hollow cavity is calls
neurocoel and it is fluid -filled.

Subphylum- Hemichordata
Class- Enteropheusta Pterobranchia

Characteristics of Hemichordata Characteristies of Enteropneusta

i. Body divided into three regions- Proboscis, .
Solitary,
vermiform body.
Collar and Trunk. ii. Numerous gill slits
ii. Pre-oral buccal diverticulum is present called ii.Intestine straight, anus terminal
Stomochord. E.g. Balanoglossus sp.
i.Nervous system intra-epidermal, partly dorsal and
partly ventral to gut. Characteristies of Pterobranchia
iv.Digestive tube complete. i. Some members colonial.
ii. Gill slits one pair or absent.
ii. Dorsal Anus,
alimentary canal 'U' shaped.
E.g. Rhabdopleura sp.
 Subphylum- Urochordata

Class
Thaliacea Larvacea
Ascidiacia

Order

Enterogona Pleurogona Pyrosomida Doliolida Salpida Copelata

ii. Incurrent & excurrent siphon at opposite end.
Characteristics of Urochordata iv.Gill clelfts not sub-divided buy gill bars.

Excusively marine, cosmopolitan in distribution v. Adult without nerve cord, notochord & tail.
i.
ii. Body covered by tunic or test composed largely of
Characteristics of Pyrosomeda
tunicin cellulose like polysaccharide.
ii. Notochord present only in larval tail. i. Muscie band confined to body ends.
U shaped gut, cilliary feeder.
i ii. Gill silts elongated numerous upto 50.
V. Pharynx with numerous gill slits. ii.No free swimming larval stage.
vi. No coelom, an ectoderm lined atrial cavity present E.g. Pyrosoma sp.
which opens to outside through atrial aperture.
Characteristics of Doliolida
Characteristics of Ascidiacea
i. Muscle bands form complete rings.
i. Benthic, solitary or colonial, sessile ii. Gill slits from few to many.
ii. Incurrent & excurrent siphon directed upward ii. A tailed larva with notochord.
away form substratum. E.g. Doliolum sp.
ii. No dorsal nerve cord in adult stages.
iv. Free swimming highly developed larva, Characteristics of Salpida
v. Test permanent, well developed. 1. Muscle bands incomplete ventrally
Characteristics of Enterogona ii. Large gill sits
ii. Larva without tails.
. Body divided into thorax & abdomen. E.g. Salpa sp.
ii. Neural gland usually ventral to ganglion.
ii. Gonad one lying behind the intestine Characteristics of Larvacea

eg. Ascidia sp. i. Solitary, planktonic tunicate probably nectonic.

ii. Adults with notochord & muscular tail.
Characteristics of Pleurogona
ii.Test form a temporary house, renewed periodically.
i. Body compact & undivided iv.Atrium & aerial aperture absent.
ii. Neural gland dorsal or lateral to ganglion.
ii.Gonads two or more embedded in mantle wall. Characteristics of Copelata

E.g. Herdmania sp. i. U'shaped body, elongated tail containing

Characteristics of Thaliacea
notochord, nerve cord and muscle band
ii. Secrete a prefabricated material to form a house
i. Solitary or colonial, pelagic tunicate.
ii. Test permanent thin & transparent. E.g. Oikopleura sp.
 class E.g. Branchiostoma sp.
of subphylum &
Aaracteristics
Characteristic of Vertebrata
Cephalocbordata
gill slits & dorsal vertebral column that form
i. Fishlike chordate with
notochord
i. Notochord replaced by
nerve cord. the axis of the body skeleton.
vertebral column.
. Post anal tail present but without ii. Paired appendages present.
ii.No cranial skeleton structure. ii.A braincase cranium present
large pharynx perforated by
numerous
iv. Fitter-feeder,
persistent gill-slits, digestive tract complete.
v. Coelom enterocoelous, present only in the
pharyngeal region.

Suborder-Petromyzontide
CLASSIFICATION OF AGNATHA
funnel.
1) Ventral mouth with a suctorial buccal
Super class agnatha comes under the phylum chordate
2) Nostril dorsal naso-hypophyseal sac closed,
not
and under subphylum vertebrata.
connected to pharynx.
Super class- Agnatha 3) Dorsal fin well developed.
4) Bronchial basket complete.
1) Jawless animal. 5) Ear with two semicircular canal.

Class cephalospidomorphi 6) Both marine and fresh water forms available.

7) Gill pouches and gill slits 7 pair each
1) Head shield present. E.g. Petromyzon sp. (Lamprey)
Order-Cyclostomata Suborder -Myxinoidea

1) Elongated eel like body with diphycercal tail, 1) Mouth terminal with four pairs of tentacle, no
smooth, soft, scale less skin. buccal funnel.
2) Median fin with cartilaginous fin-ray. 2) Nostril terminal naso-hypophyseal duct opens into
3) Muscles segmented into myotomes and separated by pharynx.
myocommatà. 3) Dorsal fin feeble or absent.
4) Endoskeleton fibrous and cartilaginous. 4) Branchial basket poorly developed.
S Notochord persists throughout life. 5) Ear with only one semicircular duct.
6) Suctorial mouth is circular, hence the name 6) All forms marine.
cyclostomata. 7) Gill slits 1-15, gill pouches 6-15.

E.g. Myxine sp. (Hag fish)

Characters Petromyzontidae (amprey) Myxinoidea (hagfish)
Habitat Usually live in sea, migrate to | Exclusively marine
river for spawning
Fin Dorsal fin divided by a notch Dorsal fin undeveloped and undivided
Mouth Sub-terminal in position, funnel | Terminal in position .3/4 pairs of tentacles
likestructure, no tentacle aroundthe mouth, buccal funnel absent
Nostril Nostril lie dorsal to
head Nostril terminal near mouth
Myotomes Separated by myo-septa Myotomes are not separated
Gill slit and gill pouch 7 and 7 respectively
1 (Myxine) to 15 and 6(Myxine) to 15
Eye Functional and well developed Rudimentary and sunk beneath the skin
Ear 2 semicircular canel 1 semicircular canal
Pineal eye Present Absent