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  Anfioxo - região posterior, vista lateral
  The subphylum Cephalochordata (called vernacularly as lancelets) is represented by a small (up to 6 cm long) animals characterized to have the notochord as an axial organ throughout the whole body length. The lancelet body plan is similar to that of fishes and other vertebrates: dorsally-situated neural tube, and ventrally-situated alimentary system sandwiched laterally with myotomes (or myomeres), arranged as a series of segmented muscle blocks on each side. They are exclusively marine, inhabiting intertidal to subtidal sandy bottoms in boreal to tropical waters around the world. Recently, however, the true deep-sea species was firstly described. The adults have at benthic life within the superficial layer of bottom sediment, and are filter-feeders. Adults can also swim, but only rarely and sporadically.

  see image details
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  Anfioxo - região anterior, vista dorsal
  The subphylum Cephalochordata (called vernacularly as lancelets) is represented by a small (up to 6 cm long) animals characterized to have the notochord as an axial organ throughout the whole body length. The lancelet body plan is similar to that of fishes and other vertebrates: dorsally-situated neural tube, and ventrally-situated alimentary system sandwiched laterally with myotomes (or myomeres), arranged as a series of segmented muscle blocks on each side. They are exclusively marine, inhabiting intertidal to subtidal sandy bottoms in boreal to tropical waters around the world. Recently, however, the true deep-sea species was firstly described. The adults have at benthic life within the superficial layer of bottom sediment, and are filter-feeders. Adults can also swim, but only rarely and sporadically.

  see image details
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  Anfioxo - região anterior, vista dorsal
  The subphylum Cephalochordata (called vernacularly as lancelets) is represented by a small (up to 6 cm long) animals characterized to have the notochord as an axial organ throughout the whole body length. The lancelet body plan is similar to that of fishes and other vertebrates: dorsally-situated neural tube, and ventrally-situated alimentary system sandwiched laterally with myotomes (or myomeres), arranged as a series of segmented muscle blocks on each side. They are exclusively marine, inhabiting intertidal to subtidal sandy bottoms in boreal to tropical waters around the world. Recently, however, the true deep-sea species was firstly described. The adults have at benthic life within the superficial layer of bottom sediment, and are filter-feeders. Adults can also swim, but only rarely and sporadically.

  see image details
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  Anfioxo - detalhe da região anterior, vista ventral, destacando os cirros - estruturas que se dispõem ao redor da boca e impedem a entrada de particulas muito grandes
  The subphylum Cephalochordata (called vernacularly as lancelets) is represented by a small (up to 6 cm long) animals characterized to have the notochord as an axial organ throughout the whole body length. The lancelet body plan is similar to that of fishes and other vertebrates: dorsally-situated neural tube, and ventrally-situated alimentary system sandwiched laterally with myotomes (or myomeres), arranged as a series of segmented muscle blocks on each side. They are exclusively marine, inhabiting intertidal to subtidal sandy bottoms in boreal to tropical waters around the world. Recently, however, the true deep-sea species was firstly described. The adults have at benthic life within the superficial layer of bottom sediment, and are filter-feeders. Adults can also swim, but only rarely and sporadically.

  see image details

References