Phylum Chordata Overview

A flexible rod running along the back of chordates, providing support. In higher chordates, it develops into a vertebral column.

A tube of nerve tissue located on the back of chordates. It's responsible for coordinating and transmitting information throughout the body.

Slits on the sides of the pharynx in chordates, used for breathing and filter feeding. They are present in embryos and some adults.

A tail that extends beyond the anus in chordates. It can be used for balance, swimming, or movement, and may be reduced or lost in some adults.

A group of animals characterized by a notochord, dorsal hollow nerve cord, visceral clefts, postanal tail, and other features.

A type of chordate that lacks a backbone but has all other chordate characteristics. They are usually marine filter feeders.

A structure in tunicates that helps capture food by secreting mucus.

Tunicates live in marine waters, either as individuals or in colonies, attached to the seafloor. They have a barrel-shaped body covered with a tunic.

A group of animals that have a notochord, dorsal hollow nerve cord, and post-anal tail, but only in their larval stage.

A group of animals that have a notochord, dorsal hollow nerve cord, and post-anal tail throughout their entire life.

A group of animals that have a notochord, dorsal hollow nerve cord, and post-anal tail, but only in their larval stage.

An elongated, fish-shaped marine invertebrate that lacks a distinct head and has a notochord that extends the length of its body.

A flexible rod that supports the body of some chordates; it is typically found in the dorsal region and extends the length of the body.

A tube of nerve tissue that runs along the dorsal side of the body in chordates, it's connected to the brain.

A tail that extends beyond the anus in chordates.

Invertebrates that live at the bottom of the sea.

The time period in Earth's history, spanning approximately 541 million to 485.4 million years ago, marked by an explosion of diverse life forms including the earliest known vertebrates.

A group of marine invertebrates belonging to the subphylum Cephalochordata, commonly known as lancelets, possessing a simple yet representative chordate structure.

A structure present in the pharynx of cephalochordates (lancelets) that produces slime to trap food particles.

A large cavity surrounding the pharynx in cephalochordates (lancelets) that houses the gill slits and facilitates water circulation.

The opening through which water is expelled from the atrium in cephalochordates (lancelets).

The process of filtering food particles from water, characteristic of cephalochordates (lancelets).

The reproductive method where sex cells (eggs and sperm) are released into the water, where fertilization occurs.

The body's system of organs and tissues that facilitate waste removal. Cephalochordates (lancelets) have nephridia similar to annelids.

A larva is a young, asymmetrical form of a lancelet, smaller than the adult, with fewer gill slits and no atrium. It spends time feeding in open water and on the bottom.

The process by which the lancelet larva transforms into the adult form is called metamorphosis.

Lancelets exhibit a type of body segmentation where muscles are arranged in repeating blocks. This allows for efficient body coordination for movement.

Myotomes are blocks of muscles within each segment of a lancelet, contributing to movement.

Lancelets possess a secondary body cavity called a coelom, which is well-developed and forms a system of internal cavities.

The coelom in lancelets and other deuterostomes develops by outpouchings from the gut of the embryo.

Lancelets exhibit simple behavior primarily focused on finding suitable habitats and avoiding predators.

Lancelets are found in tropical and temperate coastal waters, inhabiting soft bottoms like sand or gravely areas.