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Updated on 02nd May, 2023 , 5 min read
The classification of living things on Earth is known as the animal kingdom, or Kingdom Animalia. Based on their unique characteristics, members of this group are classified into several Genus, Families, Orders, Classes, and Phyla. One of the most crucial elements in animal taxonomy is whether an animal has a notochord on its body or not. It's important to remember that a notochord is a flexible rod-shaped structure formed of cartilage. Both the names "chordates" and "non-chordates" are used to refer to animals, and they each fall under a distinct phylum of the Animalia kingdom. The main distinction between chordates and non-chordates is that the former have a spinal cord or backbone in their body structure while the latter lack one.
The following table gives you all the difference between chordates and non- chordates based on various parameters.
Parameters |
Chordates |
Non-chordates |
Notochords |
Animals possessing a notochord, or backbone, in their bodies are called chordates. |
Animals without a notochord are known as non-chordates. |
Limbs |
It has two pairs of limbs. |
It may have more than two limb pairs. |
Heart |
Ventrally placed |
Dorsal or Lateral position with limbs |
Example |
Frog, fish, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and mammals. |
Cockroach, earthworms, flatworms, jellyfish, sponges, insects, water bears, and other arthropods, annelids, and protozoans. |
Post anal Tail |
The tail is present. |
The tail is absent. |
Circulatory System |
Closed blood circulation system. |
It has Open type blood circulation system. |
Nerve Chords |
Chordates have a single, dorsal, hollow nerve cord. There are no ganglia in the nerve cord. |
There is a large, double, central nerve cord present. Non-chordates have ganglia in their nerve cords. |
Gill Slits |
Pharyngeal gill slits are present. |
Pharyngeal gill slits are lacking. |
Respiration |
Use your lungs or your gills to breathe. |
Breathe through their gills, trachea, or skin. |
Body Fluid |
There is haemoglobin. |
Similar to blood invertebrates, hemolymph is present in place of haemoglobin. |
Germ Layer |
Triploblastic |
Diploblastic, Triploblastic, or neither |
Symmetry |
Bilaterally Symmetric. |
bilateral, bi-radial, asymmetrical, or radial. |
Coelomates |
True Coelomates |
True coelomates, acoelomates, and pseudocoelomates are all possible. |
Exoskeleton |
Some chordates, like tortoises, have exoskeletons. |
Present in all. |
Endoskeleton |
Present in all. |
Absent in all. |
Regeneration |
Poor regeneration. |
Most non-chordates have good regeneration. |
Anus |
The anus of these animals is unique and opens prior to the final portion. |
Usually lacking in these species, the anus opens on the final segment if it does exist. |
Brain |
The chordate brain is situated in the skull, dorsal to the pharynx. |
The brain is not as complicated as that of chordates, if it is present in some animals. |
Organization |
They have an organ system built into their body. |
The organ system's organisation is protoplasmic. |
Here is a detailed explanation of the key difference between chordates and non- chordates.
Four crucial characteristics that appear at various stages of the development of Chordata animals are a notochord, a dorsal hollow nerve cord, pharyngeal slits, and a post-anal tail. It's vital to remember that some of these traits are only present in specific animals during the embryonic developmental phases. Here, the distinctive qualities of Chordates are briefly described.
The notochord, which is the defining feature of chordates, is a stabilising, rigid rod-like structure. It provides skeletal stability and runs the entire length of the body, between the alimentary canal and the nerve cord. The notochord acts as the body's primary axial stiffness in some chordates. Vertebrate embryos frequently have the notochord, which promotes the development of the neural tube and serves as a framework for the developing embryonic structure. On the other hand, in the postnatal stage of vertebrates, the vertebral column or spine has taken the place of the notochord.
The dorsal hollow nerve cord, a component of chordates' central nervous systems, processes stimuli and nerve impulses. Ectoderm that develops into a hollow tube is the material that makes up the dorsal hollow nerve cord. In chordates, it is situated dorsally to the notochord. The nerve cord found in the majority of chordate embryos develops into the brain and spinal cord, which together make up the central nervous system.
Gill slits are an essential component of the respiratory system that are perforated in the pharynx. Pharyngeal slits are openings in the pharynx that are visible from the outside. Pharyngeal apertures make it possible to remove water from the mouth during feeding. They can be observed in animals that live in aquatic settings. In vertebrates, the pharyngeal slits are changed into gill supports, and in fish with jaws, they become jaw supports.
In chordates, the post anal tail appears as a brief extension at the end of the anus. The post-anal tail is a posterior portion of the body that extends past the anus. The tail of aquatic creatures like fish contains skeletal elements and muscles that help with movement. In some terrestrial species, the tail also serves in balance, courting, and warning of impending danger. Humans have a short, vestigial post-anal tail that serves no purpose.
To better grasp the differences between chordates and non-chordates, let's take a quick look at some of their key characteristics. Animals without the notochord, a rod-like structure in their body, are known as non-chordates. This phylum mostly contains members of the phyla Porifera, Hemichordata, Echinodermata, Mollusca, Arthropoda, Annelida, Aschelminthes, Platyhelminthes, Ctenophora, and Coelenterata. Organ-system level organisation characterises this phylum.
The following list includes the general characteristics of non-chordates.
Chordates and non-chordates are primarily characterised by the presence or absence of the ectoderm, a crucial structure, at a specific point in their lives. Between these two groups of species, there are a number of differences. Some invertebrates are classified as chordates because they lack a backbone but yet preserve a vestige of a tail. Invertebrates categorised as chordates include tunicates and lancelets. Since Balanoglossus possesses characteristics shared by both vertebrates and non-chordates, it is believed to provide a link between these two groups. A characteristic of chordates is the pairing of the notochord with the pharyngeal gill slits in Balanoglossus, for instance.
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By - Nikita Parmar 2024-09-06 10:59:22 , 6 min readAns. The notochord, a crucial feature that distinguishes chordates from non-chordates, can either be present or absent.
Ans. Despite lacking a true backbone, some invertebrates are categorised as chordates because they have a notochord. Tunicates and lancelets are examples of invertebrates that are classified as chordates.
Ans. Inferring that chordates precede the fossil record, many scientists think they first appeared 590 million years ago.
Ans. Certain chordates lack a vertebral column, but all vertebrates have one, which is the main difference between chordates and vertebrates. Vertebrate and chordate species share a central nervous system. The brains of animals are shielded by the skull.
Ans. The animal phylum known to most people is the Chordata, which contains humans and other vertebrates.
Chordates are a group of animals that possess a notochord, a dorsal hollow nerve cord, pharyngeal slits, and a post-anal tail at some stage of their development. These characteristics are present in both their embryonic and adult stages.
Non-chordates are animals that do not possess a notochord, a dorsal hollow nerve cord, pharyngeal slits, or a post-anal tail at any stage of their development. Examples of non-chordates include insects, mollusks, and annelids.
The main difference between chordates and non-chordates is the presence of a notochord, dorsal hollow nerve cord, pharyngeal slits, and a post-anal tail in chordates. Non-chordates lack these structures.
The notochord is a flexible rod-like structure that supports the body of chordates. It is absent in non-chordates. The presence of the notochord is a defining characteristic of chordates.
Examples of chordates include mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, and amphibians. Examples of non-chordates include insects, crustaceans, mollusks, annelids, and echinoderms.