Among all the phylums, the chordata phylum contains some of Earth's more commonly known animals,ranging from monkeys and birds to fish and alligators. This range consists of roughly 60,000 different species. All chordates have pharyngeal slits that connect the inside of the throat to the outside of the neck, a notochord, a dorsal nerve cord, an endostyle, and some form of tail for some portion of their lives. because of their wide diversity, chordates occupy habitats ranging from high mountains to the deep ocean.