Vertebrates are the animals included in the phylum chordata in which the spinal chord is made of small vertebrae.
There are five classes of vertebrates:
(i) Pisces (ii) Amphibians (iii) Reptiles (iv) Aves and (v) Mammalia.
The main features of vertebrates are given as under:
(i) They possess a solid notochord.
(ii) The body has bilateral symmetry.
(iii) They have a true vertebral column.
(iv) They have a dorsal hollow nerve cord.
(v) They are triploblastic.
(vi) The terrestrial forms respire through lungs and the aquatic forms through gills.
(vii) They are coelomate.
