UROCHORDATES Meaning and
Definition
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Urochordates, also known as tunicates or sea squirts, are a group of marine invertebrates belonging to the phylum Chordata. They are characterized by a unique structure called the urochord or tunic, which surrounds and protects their soft bodies. Urochordates exhibit both simple and complex body forms and can be sessile or free-swimming.
The body of a typical urochordate consists of a sac-like structure with two openings, one for inhaling water and the other for expelling it. The inhaled water contains small organisms and particles that serve as their food source. Urochordates rely on a specialized filtering system to extract nutrients from the water.
Urochordates typically have a soft, gelatinous body covered by a tough, leathery tunic made up of cellulose. This tunic can come in a variety of colors, including shades of yellow, orange, red, or brown. Some urochordates can also secrete a mucous substance that aids in attaching themselves to rocks or other substrates.
Although urochordates possess a notochord (a flexible rod-like structure running along the dorsal side), which is a defining characteristic of the chordates, it is only present during the larval stage. Other chordate features, such as a brain and a vertebral column, are absent in adult urochordates.
Urochordates play important ecological roles as filter feeders, helping to maintain the balance of marine ecosystems. Additionally, they serve as important models for studying various biological processes due to their simplified body plans and proximity to chordate evolution.
Common Misspellings for UROCHORDATES
- yrochordates
- hrochordates
- jrochordates
- irochordates
- 8rochordates
- 7rochordates
- ueochordates
- udochordates
- ufochordates
- utochordates
- u5ochordates
- u4ochordates
- urichordates
- urkchordates
- urlchordates
- urpchordates
- ur0chordates
- ur9chordates
- uroxhordates
- urovhordates
Etymology of UROCHORDATES
The word Urochordates is derived from the combination of two Greek words: oura meaning tail, and chordate, referring to a phylum of animals that possess a notochord during some stage of their life cycle. The term Urochordate is used to describe a subphylum of chordates, commonly known as tunicates or sea squirts, which have a tail-like structure called a uro during their larval stage. Hence, Urochordates translates to tail-chordates or chordates with a tail.
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