Non-chordates:

1. Notochord is absent in them.

2. Their central nervous system is solid and ventral.

3. Heart, if present in them, is dorsal in position.

4. Their circulatory system is of open or closed type.

5. Respiratory pigment, the haemoglobin, if present, is dissolved in plasma of blood.

6. Pharyngeal gill slits are absent in them.

7. They contain anus at posterior end of body, so post-anal tail is not present.

Chordates:

1. Notochord is present in them at some of their developmental stage.

2. Their central nervous system is hollow and dorsal.

3. Heart is always present and it is ventral in position.

4. Their circulatory system is of closed type.

5. Haemoglobin is present in their red blood cells or corpuscles.

6. Pharyngeal gill-slits are present in them.

7. Their anus is not located at posterior tip of body, so contain a post-anal tail.