The manatee belongs to the Phylum Chordata or Chordate. Chordates are animals that at some time of their lives are posessing a notochord, a hollow dorsal nerve cord, pharyngeal slits, an endostyle, and a post-anal tail.
The phylum chordata is the most diverse phylum there is. This phylum has three subphylums: Urochordata, Cephalachordata, and Vertebrata. Containing more than 43,700 species, most of them are concentrated in the subphylum vertebrata which makes it the third-largest phylum in the animal kingdom. The first two phylums are very small only containing around 2,000 species.
The phylum chordata is the most diverse phylum there is. This phylum has three subphylums: Urochordata, Cephalachordata, and Vertebrata. Containing more than 43,700 species, most of them are concentrated in the subphylum vertebrata which makes it the third-largest phylum in the animal kingdom. The first two phylums are very small only containing around 2,000 species.