Animals in the phylum Chordata share four key features that appear at some stage of their development: a notochord, a dorsal hollow nerve cord, pharyngeal slits, and a post-anal tail ([Figure 3]). In certain groups, some of these traits are present only during embryonic development.

Similarities Between Echinoderms and Chordates Also, both are deuterostomes whose blastopore develops into the anus. And, both exhibit radial cleavage, which is indeterminate. Moreover, they develop through three germ layers. They develop a true body cavity known as coelom.

Echinodermata are so named owing to their spiny skin (from the Greek “echinos” meaning “spiny” and “dermos” meaning “skin”), and this phylum is a collection of about 7,000 described living species.

Although all living echinoderms have a pentamerous (five-part) radial symmetry, an internal skeleton, and a water-vascular system derived from the coelom (central cavity), their general appearance ranges from that of the stemmed, flowerlike sea lilies, to the wormlike, burrowing sea cucumbers, to the heavily armoured …

Why are hemichordates thought to be an evolutionary link between echinoderms and chordates? They share characteristics with both echinoderms and chordates. Their adult morphology resembles that of a chordate, while many traits in their larva resemble echinoderms.

We can define chordate as follows: “The chordates are the class of animals that possess four anatomical features, namely (1) notochord, (2) dorsal nerve cord, (3) post-anal tail, and (4) pharyngeal slits, at least during some part of their development into maturity.”

Chickens are members of the phylum chordata. Chickens belong to the Class Aves in the chordate phylum which is believed to have descended from dinosaurs.

Fishes. Fishes constitute the non-tetrapod vertebrates, meaning that they do not have four legs or limbs, although they generally have two pairs of fins and several unpaired fins that allow them to move efficiently through water.