- Title Pages
- Preface to third edition
- Preface to second edition
- Preface to first edition
- 1 Introduction
- 2 ANIMALIA (METAZOA)
- 3 Prelude: Phylum Choanoflagellata
- 4 Early animal radiation
- 5 Phylum Silicea
- 6 EURADICULATA
- 7 <i>Phylum</i> Calcarea
- 8 PROEPITHELIOZOA
- 9 <i>Phylum</i> Homoscleromorpha
- 10 EUMETAZOA (GASTRAEOZOA)
- 11 <i>Phylum</i> Placozoa
- 12 NEURALIA
- 13 <i>Phylum</i> Cnidaria
- 14 TRIPLOBLASTICA
- 15 Phylum Ctenophora
- 16 BILATERIA
- 17 ACOELOMORPHA
- 18 Phylum Acoela
- 19 Phylum Nemertodermatid
- 20 <i>Phylum</i> Xenoturbellida
- 21 EUBILATERIA
- 22 PROTOSTOMIA
- 23 SPIRALIA (LOPHOTROCHOZOA)
- 24 SCHIZOCOELIA
- 25 Phylum Annelida
- 26 <i>Phylum</i> Sipuncul
- 27 Phylum Mollusca
- 28 <i>Phylum</i> Nemertin
- 29 <i>Phylum</i> Platyhelminthes
- 30 Phylum Gastrotricha
- 31 GNATHIFERA
- 32 <i>Phylum</i> Gnathostomulida
- 33 <i>Phylum</i> Micrognathozoa
- 34 <i>Phylum</i> Rotifera
- 35 POLYZOA (BRYOZOA s.l.)
- 36 Phylum Entoprocta
- 37 <i>Phylum</i> Cycliophora
- 38 Phylum Bryozo (Ectoprocta)
- 39 BRACHIOZOA
- 40 <i>Phylum</i> Phoronida
- 41 <i>Phylum</i> Brachiopoda
- 42 ECDYSOZOA
- 43 PANARTHROPODA
- 44 <i>Phylum</i> Arthropoda
- 45 <i>Phylum</i> Onychophora
- 46 <i>Phylum</i> Tardigrada
- 47 CYCLONEURALIA
- 48 NEMATOIDEA
- 49 <i>Phylum</i> Nematoda
- 50 <i>Phylum</i> Nematomorpha
- 51 SCALIDOPHORA
- 52 <i>Phylum</i> Priapul
- 53 <i>Phylum</i> Kinorhynch
- 54 <i>Phylum</i> Loricifera
- 55 <i>Phylum</i> Chaetognatha
- 56 DEUTEROSTOMIA
- 57 AMBULACRARIA
- 58 <i>Phylum</i> Echinodermata
- 59 HEMICHORDATA
- 60 <i>Phylum</i> Enteropneusta
- 61 <i>Phylum</i> Pterobranchia
- 62 CHORDATA
- 63 <i>Phylum</i> Cephalochordata
- 64 <i>Phylum</i> Urochordata
- 65 <i>Phylum</i> Vertebrata (Craniata)
- 66 Problematica
- Systematic index
- Subject index
- Plates
CHORDATA
CHORDATA
- Chapter:
- (p.348) 62 CHORDATA
- Source:
- Animal Evolution
- Author(s):
Claus Nielsen
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
The Chordata is a monophyletic group consisting of three living phyla: Cephalochordata, Urochordata, and Vertebrata. Morphology-based studies on the origin and evolution of the chordates suggested that the segmented and unsegmented urochordates were sister groups. However, most of the newer studies on molecular phylogeny indicate sister-group relationships between the urochordates and vertebrates within the segmented Chordata, implying that the segmentation disappeared in the urochordates. Recent evidence supports the idea that Urochordata and Vertebrata together form the clade Olfactores. The distinguishing feature of the chordates is the notochord, a cylinder of cells surrounded by a strengthened basal membrane.
Keywords: chordates, Chordata, Cephalochordata, Urochordata, Vertebrata, evolution, urochordates, molecular phylogeny, vertebrates, notochord
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- Title Pages
- Preface to third edition
- Preface to second edition
- Preface to first edition
- 1 Introduction
- 2 ANIMALIA (METAZOA)
- 3 Prelude: Phylum Choanoflagellata
- 4 Early animal radiation
- 5 Phylum Silicea
- 6 EURADICULATA
- 7 <i>Phylum</i> Calcarea
- 8 PROEPITHELIOZOA
- 9 <i>Phylum</i> Homoscleromorpha
- 10 EUMETAZOA (GASTRAEOZOA)
- 11 <i>Phylum</i> Placozoa
- 12 NEURALIA
- 13 <i>Phylum</i> Cnidaria
- 14 TRIPLOBLASTICA
- 15 Phylum Ctenophora
- 16 BILATERIA
- 17 ACOELOMORPHA
- 18 Phylum Acoela
- 19 Phylum Nemertodermatid
- 20 <i>Phylum</i> Xenoturbellida
- 21 EUBILATERIA
- 22 PROTOSTOMIA
- 23 SPIRALIA (LOPHOTROCHOZOA)
- 24 SCHIZOCOELIA
- 25 Phylum Annelida
- 26 <i>Phylum</i> Sipuncul
- 27 Phylum Mollusca
- 28 <i>Phylum</i> Nemertin
- 29 <i>Phylum</i> Platyhelminthes
- 30 Phylum Gastrotricha
- 31 GNATHIFERA
- 32 <i>Phylum</i> Gnathostomulida
- 33 <i>Phylum</i> Micrognathozoa
- 34 <i>Phylum</i> Rotifera
- 35 POLYZOA (BRYOZOA s.l.)
- 36 Phylum Entoprocta
- 37 <i>Phylum</i> Cycliophora
- 38 Phylum Bryozo (Ectoprocta)
- 39 BRACHIOZOA
- 40 <i>Phylum</i> Phoronida
- 41 <i>Phylum</i> Brachiopoda
- 42 ECDYSOZOA
- 43 PANARTHROPODA
- 44 <i>Phylum</i> Arthropoda
- 45 <i>Phylum</i> Onychophora
- 46 <i>Phylum</i> Tardigrada
- 47 CYCLONEURALIA
- 48 NEMATOIDEA
- 49 <i>Phylum</i> Nematoda
- 50 <i>Phylum</i> Nematomorpha
- 51 SCALIDOPHORA
- 52 <i>Phylum</i> Priapul
- 53 <i>Phylum</i> Kinorhynch
- 54 <i>Phylum</i> Loricifera
- 55 <i>Phylum</i> Chaetognatha
- 56 DEUTEROSTOMIA
- 57 AMBULACRARIA
- 58 <i>Phylum</i> Echinodermata
- 59 HEMICHORDATA
- 60 <i>Phylum</i> Enteropneusta
- 61 <i>Phylum</i> Pterobranchia
- 62 CHORDATA
- 63 <i>Phylum</i> Cephalochordata
- 64 <i>Phylum</i> Urochordata
- 65 <i>Phylum</i> Vertebrata (Craniata)
- 66 Problematica
- Systematic index
- Subject index
- Plates