Is a whale in the Phylum Chordata?

Answer 1

Yes, whales are chordates. They are also vertebrates, meaning they have a skeletal system.

However, there is more to it than that, especially given that there are two invertebrate chordate groups - Urochordata (tunicates) and Cephalachordata (lancelets) - whose backbone is not in the form of actual vertebrae.

As Chordates (or members of the phylum Chordata), whales share the following characteristics:

• dorsal nerve cord which is a bundle of nerve fibres which runs down the back. It connects the brain with the lateral muscles and other organs.
• notochordwhich is a cartilaginous rod running underneath, and supporting, the nerve cord - in the case of the whale, a spine.
• post-anal tail - an extension of the body past the anal opening. (This feature is not always present in some adult Chordates such as frogs and humans, but it is present in the whale.)
• Pharyngeal pouches - Chordates, at some stage of their life, have pharyngeal grooves and pouches that develop into other essential parts of their anatomy.

Answer 2

Yes, whales belong to the Phylum Chordata. They are mammals and have a notochord, which is a defining feature of chordates.