ANCESTRAL CHORDATE

1 answer

Ancestral chordate refers to the common ancestor of all chordates, a group of animals that includes vertebrates (animals with backbones) and some closely related invertebrates. This ancestral chordate would have lived millions of years ago and possessed some of the defining characteristics of chordates, such as a notochord (a flexible rod-like structure that runs along the length of the body), a dorsal hollow nerve cord (a nerve cord that runs along the back), and pharyngeal slits or pouches (openings in the throat region). These characteristics are present in some form in all chordates, though they may be modified or lost in different species.