Which of the following structures do all chordates share?

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BlackTom AI · Accepted Answer

First, restating the question and options helps frame the task: Which of the following structures do all chordates share? Options are a) Jaws, b) Notochord, c) Brain, d) Vertebrae.
Option a: Jaws. Jaws are a feature that appears only in gnathostomes, a subgroup within vertebrates, and are not present in all chordates (for example, many chordates like tunicates and cephalochordates lack jaws). So this cannot be a shared chordate trait.
Option b: Notochord. The notochord is a defining feature of all chordates at some stage of development, serving as a flexible, rod-like structure along the dorsal side in embryonic life and present in many chordates as a primary axial support. In vertebrates, it is often replaced by the vertebral column during development, but some form or remnants of the notochord are present in all chordates, making it a unifying characteristic.
Option c: Brain. While chordates possess a dorsal hollow nerve cord and often a brain, a brain as a distinct, complex structure is not universal across all chordates, especially in the more primitive cephalochordates and tunicates where the nervous system is simpler or differently organized. Thus, having a brain is not a universal chordate feature.
Option d: Vertebrae. Vertebrae are characteristic of vertebrates, a sub-group of chordates, but not of all chordates. In contrast, cephalochordates (like lancelets) and tunicates (sea squirts) lack vertebral columns, so this trait is not shared by all chordates.
Putting these insights together, the only structure that is shared by all chordates at some stage is the notochord, since it serves as a unifying anatomical feature across the phylum, even if it is modified or replaced in some descendants. The other options fail the universality test for chordates, either appearing only in certain subgroups or not being present in some chordate lineages.

Which of the following structures do all chordates share?

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