Chordate (not a primate)
•Explain how body plan and anomoty enables chordate to perform the essential functions it needs to survive.
•Explain how your chosen chorodate fonts into the cladogram of chordate.
To answer these questions, we first need to understand what a chordate is and look at its general characteristics. Chordates are a phylum of animals that includes vertebrates (which are further classified as primates, mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and fish) and a few invertebrate species. In this case, we are looking for an example of a chordate that is not a primate.
1. How body plan and anatomy enable chordates to perform essential functions:
Chordates share several key features that enable them to perform essential functions for survival:
a. Notochord: Chordates have a flexible rod-like structure called a notochord, which runs along the back. The notochord provides support and allows for locomotion in some species. In higher vertebrates, including primates, the notochord is replaced by the vertebral column or backbone.
b. Dorsal Hollow Nerve Cord: Chordates have a hollow nerve tube running along their dorsal (back) side. This nerve cord develops into the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord) and plays a crucial role in coordinating sensory information and motor responses.
c. Pharyngeal slits and pouches: Chordates have structures known as pharyngeal slits or pouches in their throat region. These structures have various functions depending on the species. They can help filter food particles from water, assist in respiration, or develop into gills in aquatic species.
d. Post- Tail: Chordates have a tail extending beyond their opening. The tail provides swimming and balance capabilities in aquatic species, while in terrestrial species, it often plays a role in locomotion.
The combination of these features in chordates allows for efficient movement, coordination, feeding, and respiration, enabling their survival in various environments.
2. How your chosen chordate fits into the chordate cladogram:
To determine how our chosen chordate fits into the chordate cladogram, we need more information about the specific species you have in mind. Different chordates occupy different branches of the cladogram based on their evolutionary relationships and unique characteristics.
As an example, suppose we choose the lamprey, a jawless fish, as our non-primate chordate. The lamprey falls under the superclass Agnatha within the subphylum Vertebrata. It lacks jaws, possesses a notochord throughout its life, has rudimentary vertebrae, pharyngeal slits, a dorsal hollow nerve cord, and a post- tail.
In the cladogram, Agnatha represents the most primitive group of vertebrates, branching off before the evolution of jaws and more advanced characteristics seen in other vertebrates. So, the lamprey would be placed in a branch near the base of the chordate cladogram, indicating its evolutionary position as an early vertebrate.
However, please note that the specific placement of a chordate species within the cladogram may depend on its additional traits and relationships with other species.