backbone
Living species of chordates are classified into three major subphyla: Vertebrata, Urochordata, and Cephalochordata. Vertebrates are all chordates that have a backbone. The other two subphyla are invertebrate chordates that lack a backbone. Members of the subphylum Urochordata are tunicates also called sea squirts . Members of the subphylum Cephalochordata are lancelets . Both tunicates and lancelets are small and primitive. They are probably similar to the earliest chordates that evolved more than 500 million years ago.