Difference Between Urochordata and Cephalochordata

Both urochordates and cephalochordates are called protochordates. ... The main difference between Urochordata and Cephalochordata is that Urochordata consists of a notochord extended in the head region whereas Cephalochordata contains the notochord in the posterior region of the body.

What is a key difference between the subphylum Urochordata and vertebrata?
What is the difference between Lancelets and tunicates?
What are the characteristics of Urochordata?
What is the difference between chordates and Protochordates?
What is the example of Cephalochordata?
Why Cephalochordates are called Lancelets?
Do Lancelets have brains?
Do Lancelets have hearts?
Why is amphioxus not a vertebrate?
What are the examples of Urochordata?
Is Urochordata a class?
What is tunic in Urochordata?

What is a key difference between the subphylum Urochordata and vertebrata?

In Urochordata,the notochord, nerve cord, and postanal tail is only found in the larval stage. So they don't have these chordate characteristics as adults. In Cephalochordata,notochord is extended in head region and shows throuhout their life. Vertebrates are obviously very different because they have vertebrae.

What is the difference between Lancelets and tunicates?

Lancelets refer to the small elongated marine invertebrates that resemble a fish but, lack jaws and obvious sense organs, while tunicates refer to marine invertebrates that have a rubbery or hard outer coat and two siphons to draw water into and out of the body.

What are the characteristics of Urochordata?

Characteristics of Urochordata:

Possesses a Notochord, a hollow nerve cord and a post anal tail.
Body has more than two cell layers and includes tissues and organs.
Has a U shaped gut.
Body has no coelomic body cavity.
Body wholly enclosed in a 'tunic' of secreted protein and cellulose-like material.

What is the difference between chordates and Protochordates?

The main difference between chordates and protochordates is that the chordates are the animals that have distinct characteristics such as a notochord, dorsal nerve chord, pharyngeal slits, and a muscular tail whereas the protochordates are an informal group of invertebrates within chordates.

What is the example of Cephalochordata?

Lampreys and Sea Squirts are some of the examples of cephalochordata.

Why Cephalochordates are called Lancelets?

The lancelets are also called cephalochordates (Greek: kephale, “head”) because the notochord extends from near the tip of the tail to well into the anterior of the body. ... The segments of vertebrates and cephalochordates are so similar that they were almost certainly present in the common ancestor of the two groups.

Do Lancelets have brains?

Adult lancelets retain the pharyngeal slits, notochord, dorsal nerve cord, and post-anal tail, which are all characteristic of chordates. ... Although lancelets have a brain-like swell at the end of the notochord in the head region, it is not very highly developed.

Do Lancelets have hearts?

Lancelets have a closed circulatory system with a heart-like, pumping organ located on the ventral side, and they reproduce sexually. Unlike other aquatic chordates, lancelets do not use the pharyngeal slits for respiration.

Why is amphioxus not a vertebrate?

Although amphioxus share typical chordate morphological traits with vertebrates (Fig. 2), they lack some vertebrate characteristics, such as migratory neural crest cells and their derivatives, placodes, a mineralized skeleton, and paired appendages.

What are the examples of Urochordata?

Is Urochordata a class?

Classification of Urochordata:

This subphylum is divided into three classes — Ascidiacea, Thaliacea and Larvacea.

What is tunic in Urochordata?

A tunicate is built like a barrel. The name, "tunicate" comes from the firm, but flexible body covering, called a tunic. Most tunicates live with the posterior, or lower end of the barrel attached firmly to a fixed object, and have two openings, or siphons, projecting from the other.