What are characteristic of vertebrates that chordates do not have?

1. Notochord

2. A nerve cord

3. Slits in throat area

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---Yazzy (Username)

actually those are characteristics of the phylum chordata. Vertebrates are a subphylum, vertebrata. The distinguishing characteristics of phylum chordata are:

1. A dorsal hollow nerve chord (a bundle of nerves that runs along the back side of the animal as opposed to the ventral or belly side)

2. notochord (what becomes the vertebra in vertebrates but is simply a stiff but movable "rod" in other chordates)

3. pharyngeal slits (slits in the pharynx or throat, only present in many chordates in the embryonic stages)

4. endostyle or thyroid (vertebrates have a thyroid, all other chordates have an endostyle. they both do the same basic thing only a thyroid has some functions an endostyle does not)

5. post anal tail (exactly what it sounds like. obviously many chordates only have this in the embryonic stages as well. humans have one but grow out of it very early in gestation)

Defining characteristics of vertebrates are:

1. Vertebra! (obviously but more specifically the segmented vertebral column)

2. Splanchnocranium (for all intents and purposes, a skull of some sort).

3. Sensory organs to help with balance and head movement (in humans the canals of the inner ear)

4. extrinsic eye muscles for eye movement.

yeahh, ur welcome.