Question

What are the four unique characteristics of chordates?

Answer 1

Unique characters of chordate:

1. Development of mesodermal skeletal rod, called notochord

2. Development of paired gill slits in pharynx

3. Presence of an unpaired dorsal, hollow, nerve cord

4. Presence of post anal tail

Please note: these characters are often found only in embryonic stage of life. (There are chordates which gradually lose all the characters, e.g. urochordates .)

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