All vertebrates have a similar basic body plan and at some point in their lives, mostly in the embryonic stage, share the major chordate characteristics: a stiffening rod, the notochord; a dorsal hollow tube of nervous material, the neural tube; pharyngeal arches; and a tail posterior to the anus.
ˈɔːl vˈɜːɾɪbɹˌeɪts hæv ɐ sˈɪmɪlɚ bˈeɪsɪk bˈɑːdi plˈæn ænd æt sˌʌm pˈɔɪnt ɪn ðɛɹ lˈaɪvz, mˈoʊstli ɪnðɪ ˌɛmbɹɪˈɑːnɪk stˈeɪdʒ, ʃˈɛɹ ðə mˈeɪdʒɚ kˈɔːɹdeɪt kˌæɹɪktɚɹˈɪstɪks: ɐ stˈɪfənɪŋ ɹˈɑːd, ðə nˈɑːɾəkˌɔːɹd; ɐ dˈoːɹsəl hˈɑːloʊ tˈuːb ʌv nˈɜːvəs mətˈɪɹiəl, ðə nˈʊɹɹəl tˈuːb; fˈɑːɹɹɪndʒˌiəl ˈɑːɹtʃᵻz; ænd ɐ tˈeɪl pɑːstˈɪɹiɚ tə ðɪ ˈeɪnʌs.