Chordata animals checklist
Answers
A checklist of the mammals of Iraq including their current status and geographical distribution is provided. Data were collected from literature and combined with field observations obtained during 2013–2014. The checklist comprises 93 species of wild mammals occurring in Iraq and belonging to eight orders, 28 families, and 65 genera. The status and distribution of three Erinaceomorphs, three Soricomorphs, 20 Bats, 23 Carnivores, eight Artiodactyls, two Lago-morphs, 28 Rodents, and six Cetaceans are reported. The checklist includes 24 species evaluated by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources: one was listed as Extinct, one as Critically Endangered, four as Endangered, eight as Vulnerable, seven as Near Threatened, and three as Data Deficient. One subspecies of car-nivores (Smooth-coated Otter Lutrogale perspicillata maxwelli) and one rodent species (Long-tailed Nesokia Nesokia bunnii) endemic to Mesopotamian marshlands were highlighted as taxa with conservation priority to Iraq. We also fo-cused on main threats to the most common wild mammals with special attention to impacts of illegal hunting and poaching .
Answer:
During some period of their life cycle, chordates possess a notochord, a dorsal nerve cord, pharyngeal slits, and a post-anal tail: these four anatomical features define this phylum. Chordates are also bilaterally symmetric, and have a coelom, metameric segmentation, and circulatory system.