Chordate

High school (ages 12+)
Science & Technology

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/chordate

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the scientific name?Phylum Chordata
2. What is the major subphyla?Cephalochordata (lancelets), Tunicata (tunicates), and Vertebrata (vertebrates)
3. What makes chordates special?Chordates have five key body parts: a notochord, a dorsal nerve cord, pharyngeal slits, a tail that goes past the anus, and an endostyle or thyroid gland. These parts appear at some point in their life and help them grow, move, and breathe.
4. Why do chordates have a notochord and a dorsal nerve cord?The notochord is a flexible rod that gives support, like a backbone, and the dorsal nerve cord becomes the brain and spinal cord. These features help chordates move and sense their world.

Synapomorphy: A shared derived characteristic that defines a taxonomic group.
Notochord: A flexible, cartilaginous rod providing skeletal support, precursor to the vertebral column.
Dorsal Hollow Nerve Cord: A primary component of the central nervous system in chordates.
Pharyngeal Slits: Openings in the pharynx, adapted for respiration, filter feeding, or other functions.