How Do You Spell CEPHALOCHORDA?

Pronunciation: [sˈɛfɐlˌɒkɔːdə] (IPA)

Cephalochorda is a scientific name for a group of invertebrate animals that includes amphioxus. The word is spelled using the Latin alphabet, and it's pronounced /sɛfəlɵˈkɔrda/ in IPA phonetic transcription. The first two syllables, "cephalo", derive from the Greek word for "head," while "chorda" refers to the notochord, a flexible rod that supports the body of these animals. The spelling of Cephalochorda reflects the word's etymology and the scientific convention of using Latin and Greek roots to create descriptive names for new taxa.

Meaning and Definition
Etymology
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CEPHALOCHORDA Meaning and Definition

  1. Cephalochorda refers to a subphylum of small marine invertebrates belonging to the chordate phylum. These organisms are commonly known as lancelets or amphioxus and are considered the most primitive extant chordates. The subphylum contains around 30 species, which are found in temperate and tropical marine waters around the world.

    Lancelets possess a unique characteristics combination of both vertebrates and invertebrates. They exhibit a slender, translucent, and fish-like body shape, typically measuring approximately 5-7 centimeters in length. They possess a segmented musculature, a flexible notochord, and a thin, hollow nerve cord running along their dorsal side. Another distinctive feature of cephalochorda is the presence of pharyngeal slits, which help with filter feeding.

    These organisms inhabit shallow coastal waters, often burrowing in sandy substrates and sandbanks. They spend most of their time half-buried in the sediment, with only their anterior and dorsal parts exposed. Their diet mainly consists of plankton and other small organic particles, which they capture by filtering water through their pharyngeal slits.

    Cephalochorda play an essential role in marine ecosystems as an important food source for various marine animals, including fish and birds. They are also significant in evolutionary studies as their body plan has many similarities with vertebrates, providing valuable insights into the origin and evolution of vertebrate traits. Overall, cephalochorda is an intriguing group of marine animals that hold great scientific value and contribute to the balance of marine ecosystems.

Etymology of CEPHALOCHORDA

The word "Cephalochorda" is derived from two Greek words: "cephalo" meaning "head" and "chorda" meaning "cord". In taxonomy, "Cephalochorda" refers to a subphylum of marine animals that includes the lancelets or amphioxus, which are chordates characterized by having a notochord (a stiff, flexible rod) running along the length of their bodies. The name "Cephalochorda" describes their anatomical features, with "cephalo" referring to the head region and "chorda" referring to the notochord.