Hemi Chordates

Phylum Hemi-Chordata
By
Dr. Muhammad Zahid

PHYLUM HEMI-CHORDATA
Hemi-chordates are worm like animals which live in the bottom of

shallow oceans.
Hemi-chordates are closely related to echinoderms so are placed in
group deuterostmes with echinodermata and chordata.
Characteristics of Hemi-chordates:
Body: Body is soft and worm like
Body divisions: body is divided into three regions

Protosome (Proboscis): anterior part
Mesosome (Collar): middle part
Metasome (Trunk): is the posterior part
Every part having coelomic compartment

Body wall: body wall is of unicellular epidermis having muscus
secreting cells.
Digestive system: Digestive system is complete and is tubular
Circulatory system: It is composed of a dorsal and ventral vessels.

Gill slits: gill slits are present behind the mesosome or collar
which performs the function of respiration.
Excretory system: Excretory system consists of s single

glomerulus which is connected with the blood vessels.
Brain: Brains is located in the mesosome. While the main nerve
tracts are the mid dorsal and mid ventral line.
Notochord: It is absent.
Cleavage: Cleavage is holoblastic and radial.
Larva: Tornaria larva is present during the life cycle

Colony: Many hemichordates live in colonies
Examples:
- Saccoglossus kowalevskii (acron worm),
- Balanoglossus species etc.
Phylum Chordata
Phylum Chordata
All chordates have the following fundamental characteristics at
some stages of their life cycle:-
1.Notochord or Chorda dorsalis
2.Dorsal tubular hollow central nervous system
3.Gill slits or Pharyngeal clefts

Phylum Chordata
1. Notochord or Chorda dorsalis:-
A skeleton rod or notochord is present at least in the embryonic
stages of all chordates except hemichordates.
- unsegmented and flexible axial rod like structure.
In lower chordates Notochord is retained throughout life but in

higher chordates (vertebrates) it is replaced by vertebral column.
Phylum Chordata
2. Dorsal tubular hollow central nervous system
All chordates possesses nervous system in the form of a hollow tube.

It is situated mid dorsally above the notochord and below the body
wall.
It develops by the invaginations of ectoderm in the mid dorsal line.

It contains cavities.
Phylum Chordata
3. Gill slits or Pharyngeal clefts
Paired openings in the pharyngeal region present in all the
chordates. These occur as a paired series of perforations in
the lateral wall of pharynx and lead to the exterior.
In aquatic forms these are retains as gills
In higher chordates (terrestrial forms) changed into other

structures such as Eustachian tubes etc. Terrestrial
chordates or vertebrates possess lungs for respiration.
Phylum Chordata
In addition to above three peculiar characters chordates also
possesses the following characteristics
Presence of post anal tail.

Presence of ventral heart.
Presence of living endoskeleton.
Presence of closed circulatory system.
Presence of hepatic portal system.
Presence of red blood corpuscles.
Presence of vertebral column.
Presence of coelom etc etc
Phylum Chordata
Phylum chordata is divided into two main division and three sub-phyla.
Division Acraniata Or Protochordata
Division Craniata.
1. Division Acraniata: (protochordates)
This is further divided into two sub-phyla.
Sub-Phylum Urochordata (Tunicates)
Sub-Phylum Cephalochordata:
-
2. Division Craniata:
Sub-phylum vertebrata is further divided into five classes:-
Class Pisces.
Class Amphibia.
Class Reptilia.
Class Aves
Class Mammalia.
Phylum Chordata
1. Division Acraniata:
- Lack a skull or cranium.

This is further divided into two sub-phyla.
Sub-Phylum Urochordata (Tunicates)
- Notochord is present in free swimming larava but absent in
adult
- Their body is covered with a sheath called tunic. Tunic is
made up of tunicin, a substance similar to cellulose.
- Larval form is free swimming but adult stage is sessile
Examples: Ciona intestinalis, Molgula

Phylum Chordata
Sub-Phylum Cephalochordata:
- Adults have notochord

- Body is long, pointed, so called as sea Lancelet
- Hollow nerve cord run through out the body
- They are free living and swim in water
- Modes of nutrition is filter feeding.
Examples: Branchiostoma (Amphioxus).

Phylum Chordata
2. Division Craniata:
Skull or cranium encloses the brain
These animals have vertebral column so they are placed in a
single sub-phylum vertebrata.
Sub-phylum vertebrata is further divided into five classes
Class Pisces.
Class Amphibia.
Class Reptilia.
Class Aves
Class Mammalia.

Hemi Chordates

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Phylum Hemi-Chordata

Dr. Muhammad Zahid

Hemi-chordates are worm like animals which live in the bottom of

Body: Body is soft and worm like

Body divisions: body is divided into three regions

Every part having coelomic compartment

Digestive system: Digestive system is complete and is tubular

Circulatory system: It is composed of a dorsal and ventral vessels.

Excretory system: Excretory system consists of s single

Cleavage: Cleavage is holoblastic and radial.

Larva: Tornaria larva is present during the life cycle

1.Notochord or Chorda dorsalis

2.Dorsal tubular hollow central nervous system

3.Gill slits or Pharyngeal clefts

- unsegmented and flexible axial rod like structure.

In lower chordates Notochord is retained throughout life but in

2. Dorsal tubular hollow central nervous system

All chordates possesses nervous system in the form of a hollow tube.

It develops by the invaginations of ectoderm in the mid dorsal line.

In higher chordates (terrestrial forms) changed into other

Presence of post anal tail.

- Lack a skull or cranium.

- Larval form is free swimming but adult stage is sessile

Examples: Ciona intestinalis, Molgula

- Adults have notochord

Examples: Branchiostoma (Amphioxus).

Sub-phylum vertebrata is further divided into five classes

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