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When you are done reading this, take the Chordates Quiz
Chordates are animals with backbones. Animal groups in the chordate phylum include fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals.
Animals with backbones are the most highly evolved groups of animals, the most complex and complicated. They have interior skeletons and have bilateral symmetry. They have more advanced brains.
|
System
Type
|
Chordate's
System
|
| Muscular-Skeletal |
An chordate has an inner skeleton with a backbone. It generally has four appendages that are in the forms of legs, arms, wings or fins. |
| Digestion | An chordate takes in food through the mouth. The chordate has a mouth with a tongue. Some have teeth and some do not. It has a digestive system with stomach, intestines. Chordates eat plants and animals. |
| Nervous | An chordate has a brain and nervous system. Most chordates have two eyes and at least a minimal system of hearing as fish do underwater. Many have excellent hearing. Some chordates are literally blind as the bat, but most have good vision. The chordates have the most developed brains of all the phyla and complex nervous systems. |
| Circulation | A chordate is warm or cold blooded, depending on the class of chordate. |
| Respiration | A chordate takes in oxygen and gets rid of carbon dioxide through lungs or gills. |
| Reproduction | A chordate reproduces sexually. |
| Excretion | A chordate has complex skin that is many times covered with either feathers, scales or hair. They get rid of wastes through kidneys and intestines. |
| Symmetry | A chordate has bilateral symmetry. |
| Coloration | A chordate can be almost any color in nature. |
Click on the links below for the classes or subgroups of the chordate phyla:
