Cephalochordata
Definition
- Noun:
- A subphylum of chordates: Cephalochordata refers to a small subphylum of marine animals that are chordates, meaning they possess a notochord, a dorsal nerve cord, pharyngeal slits, and a post-anal tail at some stage of their life cycle. They are characterized by their elongated, fish-like bodies and the retention of the notochord into adulthood.
- Lancelets: This is the common name for the animals in this subphylum. They are small, translucent, filter-feeding organisms that live buried in sand in shallow seas.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- The Cephalochordata are considered important for understanding vertebrate evolution.
- Biologists study the simple nervous system of cephalochordates like the lancelet.
Advanced Usage
- In taxonomic context: Used to specify the precise scientific classification of an organism.
- The specimen was definitively placed within the Cephalochordata.
Variants and Related Words
- Cephalochordate (noun/adjective): A member of the Cephalochordata; relating to this subphylum.
- The cephalochordate body plan is a key subject in comparative anatomy.
Synonyms
- Lancelets: The common name for animals in this subphylum.
- Amphioxi: An older, less common synonym for lancelets.
Different Meanings
This term has a single, specific meaning in biological taxonomy. It does not have common idiomatic or figurative uses.
Noun
-
lancelets
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