Lecture 21: Non-bony Vertebrates Flashcards
How many extant species of Vertebrata are there?
Roughly 50 000
What is the primary characteristic of Vertebrata?
Chordates with vertebrae
What does the root word “cranium” mean?
Skull
What is cool about Vertebrata? They have the _______ of any species
The largest animals that have ever lived
What is a vertebral column?
A chain of skeletal elements (cartiliage or bone) surrounding and protecting nerve cord.
Vertebrata have two or more _________, why?
Hox genes
- results of ansertral mutation that duplicated the set of genes
How many Hox genes do non-vertebrata chordates have?
They have only one
What are neural crest cells?
Clusters of embryonic cells that form near dorsal margins of closing neural tube.
What is the function of neural crest cells?
Contribute to formation of bones and cartilages of the cranium, and other structures.
Vertebrata have a ____________ and pronounced _________
endoskeleton
cephalization
What is cephalization?
when the brain is encased in protective plates.
How many sets of eyes do Vertebrata have?
They have one set of eyes.
What is unique about vertebrata’ circulatory system?
- they have a closed circulatory system with a pumping heart
- Hemoglobin in red blood cells
What is the function of pharynheal clefts?
They function as gill slits ancestrally.
What are the Pikaia?
They look like chordate’, but not vertebrata
Do pikaia have carniums
No
What is unique about Haikouichthys?
They posses no braincase or defined eyes.
Do any of the Vertebrata from the cambrian era have clear vetebrae?
No, none of them do.
What are agnathans?
Jawless vertebrates
What does the root word “gnath” mean?
Jaw
Do agnathans have paried fins?
No they have no paired fins
What are Myxini?
They are agnathans called “hagfish”
How many species of Myxini are there?
roughly 20-30 species.
Do myxini posses vertebral elements?
They have very small cartilaginous vertebral elements.
What is cartilage?
A flexible connective tissue with an abundance of collagenous fibers embedded in chondroition sulfate.
What is Cartilaginous?
carnium and other skeletal elements.
How do Myxini eat if they have no jaws, or fins?
They grip the flesh with Keratinous plates in their mouth
They then tie their body into a knot
What is the main mode of self defense for Myxini?
They slime their targets.
What dose the root word “Myxo” mean?
Slime.