Tunicates and lancelets represent the two groups of jawless fish. All other species of jawless fish have gone extinct.
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Tunicates and lancelets are classified under the phylum Chordata, which includes animals with a notochord (a flexible rod-like structure). Tunicates belong to the subphylum Tunicata, which contains marine animals with a sac-like body covered in a tough outer covering called a tunic. Lancelets belong to the subphylum Cephalochordata and are small, fish-like marine animals with a notochord that retains characteristics of the chordate body plan throughout their life.
The scientific name for tunicates is Phylum Chordata, Subphylum Tunicata.
No, hemichordata and protochordata are not the same. Hemichordata is a phylum of marine deuterostome animals, while Protochordata is a subphylum of chordates that includes organisms like tunicates and lancelets. Both groups are primitive chordates but belong to different taxonomic classifications.
The common name for subphylum Urochordata is tunicates or sea squirts. These marine animals are characterized by their cylindrical bodies encased in a tough tunic made of cellulose.
Tunicates share the same larval stage with other chordates, possessing a notochord, dorsal hollow nerve cord, pharyngeal slits, and a post-anal tail. These characteristics are key similarities that classify tunicates within the chordate phylum.
In early taxonomic classifications, factors such as genetic relationships and evolutionary history were not considered. These classifications were largely based on physical characteristics and morphology. Additionally, ecological roles and behavior were often overlooked in early classifications.