What is common in echinodermata and Chordata?
Chordates are eucoelomate deuterostomes, and probably share a common ancestor with echinoderms. Three important characteristics unite the Phylum Chordata. At some point in their life cycle, all chordates have a notochord, a dorsal hollow nerve cord, and pharyngeal gill slits.
How are echinoderms closely related to chordates?
Echinoderms are the most closely related phylum to the phylum Chordata, which includes many complex organisms such as humans. Their shared common ancestor was likely a bilaterally symmetrical organism with a cephalized (centralized in a head region) nervous system.