The Biology Of Chordates

Animal with a large mouth filled with sharp teeth. On the floor of the mouth is a perpendicular protrusion. Early Tetrapod (Ichthyostega) Caption: such as this 370-million-year-old predator.

Part of the "Branches on the Tree of Life" series. The phylum Chordata includes tunicates, sea lancelets, hagfish, and all familiar vertebrate animals. Explores how these seemingly diverse animals evolved and how the group is unified by four characteristic structures: a hollow dorsal nerve chord, a supportive notochord, gill slits, and a post-anal tail. Key milestones in vertebrate evolution include improvements in swimming and feeding, the evolution of paired fins and a primitive lung, movement onto the land, and the emergence of the amniotic egg.

(Source: DCMP)

Metadata

Files 1

  • The Biology Of Chordates

    Type:
    Video
    Format:
    Streaming
    Accommodations:
    English Captions - Auditory, English Audio Descriptions - Visual
    Languages:
    English
    License:
    DCMP Membership
    Author:
    Biomedia Associates
    Length:
    21 minutes