Why is the snow leopard in Phylum of chordata?

The snow leopard, like all other mammals, belongs to the phylum Chordata because it possesses the defining characteristics of chordates during at least some stage of its development.

Here's why:

* Notochord: Although it is replaced by the vertebral column in adult snow leopards, a notochord (a flexible rod that supports the body) is present in the embryonic stage.

* Dorsal hollow nerve cord: This structure, which develops into the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord), is present in all chordates.

* Pharyngeal slits: These openings in the throat are used for filter feeding in some chordates, but in snow leopards, they are present only in the embryonic stage.

* Post-anal tail: Snow leopards, like other mammals, have a tail extending beyond the anus.

* Endostyle: This groove in the ventral wall of the pharynx is present in larval stages of some chordates, including snow leopards.

These shared characteristics demonstrate the evolutionary relationship between snow leopards and other chordates, including fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and other mammals.