Chordate

Real World Example

Imagine you're trying to organize a closet that has clothes for every season, but you only wear some of them at certain times of the year. This is similar to how a chordate, an animal like a fish or human, has specific features—such as a tail, nerve cord, notochord, and throat slits—that appear at different stages of its life. Just like you have a winter coat that only comes out in colder months, chordates have these features that may only be present or noticeable during specific life stages, like a tadpole having a tail before becoming a frog.