Name:__________________________________ Instructor: __________________

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Exercise No. 2

ESSENTIAL FEATURES OF LOWER TYPES OF CHORDATES

PART I. Phylum Hemichordata, A Prechordate Group

Although the Hemichordata are here separatd from the chordate as a distinct
group. They possess certain prechordate features and hence, are of interest in the study of
chordates. The Hemichordates are divisible into two groups: the wormlike Enteronueta,
or balanoglossids, and the colonial Pterobranchia, resembling bryozoans.

A. External Features of Balanoglossus

Specimen: Dolichoglossus sp.

Examine a preserve balanoglossid and study its external anatomy. Make a drawing of
the animal.

Label: Proboscis, collar, trunk, proboscis stalk, buccal cavity,

branchiogenital, hepatic region, genital ridge, gill pores, hepatic caeca.

REVIEW QUESTIONS:

1. What is the chordate structure of thebalanoglossids?

2. Give the phylogenetic significance of the balanoglossids?

3. Describe the heart of balanoglossids.

4. What structures combine the invertebrate and vertebrate characters of the

balanoglossids?

Exercise No. 2

ESSENTIAL FEATURES OF LOWER TYPES OF CHORDATES

PART I. Subphylum Urochordata

The adult Urochordata or tunicates bear no resemblance to vertebrates, but the

tadpole larva exhibits pronounce chordate characteristics. The notochord in Urochordata
is confine to the tail of the larva.

A. External Features of the Tunicates

Specimen: Styela sp. (Sea squirt)

Examine a preserved sea squirt and study its external anatomy. Draw the animal.

Label: Oral or incurrent siphon, atrial or excurrent siphon, tunic or test.

B. Internal Features of Tunicates

Specimen: Styela sp. (Sea squirt)

Dissect, study and make a diagrammatic drawing of the internal anatomy

of the Sea squirt.

Label: mantle, pharynx, esophagus, atrium, stomach, intestine, anus,

ganglion, endostyle or hypobranchial groove, languets,
periparyngeal bag, gill slits.

REVIEW QUESTIONS:

1. What is the chordate feature of tunicate development?

2. What were the chordate characteristics of the sea squirt?

3. Give the functions of the following:

a. siphon
b. tunic
c. gill slits

Exercise No. 2

ESSENTIAL FEATURES OF LOWER TYPES OF CHORDATES

PART III. Subphylum Cephalochordate

The little animal known as amphioxus is of great interest because of many

primitive and generalized chordate features, which also light on vertebrate Amphioxus
lives along the ocean shores in coarse sandy or shelly bottom with the oral hood
protruding .

A. External Anatomy of Amphioxus

Specimen: Prepare slide of Amphioxus (Branchiostoma sp.)

Examine the whole mount of the Amphioxus under lower power

objective . Identify the parts and draw the external anatomy of the animal.

Label: Oral hood, vestibule, tentacles or cirri, metapleural folds or lateral fins,
atriopore, caudal fin, dorsal fin, anus, muscle segments or myotomes,
myosepta, gonads or sex glands.

B. Internal Anatomy of Amphioxus

Specimen: Prepared whole mount of Amphioxus (Branchiostoma sp.)

Examine a stained mounted specimen under low power objective and

identify the various parts of the internal structure of the animal from the slide.

Label: Fin rays, myotomes, wheel organ, Hatchecks pit, Hatchecks groove,
velum, tentacles, pharynx, peripharyngeal band, gill bars or branchial bars,
gill slits, or pharygeal clefts, atrium, esophagus, stomach or midgut, liver
or hepatic caecum, midgut caecum, iliocolch ring, intestine or hindgut,
notochord, neural tube or central nervous system, eyes, brain vesicle,
pigment spot, flagellated pit.

C. Cross section through the pharyngeal region of Amphioxus

Specimen: Prepared slide of Amphioxus

Examine the cross section through the pharyngeal region of the

amphioxus with the low power objective.
 Label: epidermis, dorsal fin, metapleural folds, myotomes, neural tube,
neurocoel, notochord, pharynx, epibranchial groove, caecum (liver),
gonads, nephridia.

REVIEW QUESTIONS:

1. What evidence support the concept of a common close ancestry of the

echinoderms, the hemichordates and the chordates?

2. What is a notochord and what is its relationship to chordate animal?

3. Give the functions of the following:

a. wheel organ
b. gills
c. nephridia

Exercise No. 2

ESSENTIAL FEATURES OF LOWER TYPES OF CHORDATES

PART IV. Order Cyclostomata

The cyclostomata or round-mouthed fishes constitute the lowest group of living

verterbrates. However, they led a semiparasitic life with some accompanying
specialization and degeneration; but it is now believed that much of their structure is
primitive. They are divided into groups, the Petromyzontis, or lampreys, and the
Myxinoidea, or hagfishes. The former occur in streams, lakes, and the ocean but always
ascend freshwater streams to breed: the myxinoids are marine.

A. External Anatomy of Lamprey

Specimen: Petromyzon sp.(lamprey)

Examine a preserved lamprey and study its external structure. Draw.

Label: Dorsal fins, tail fins, fin rays, buccal funnel, lip tentacles, teeth, tongue,
nasophyseal opening, eye, gill slit.
 B. Sagittal section of the anterior end of Lamprey

Make a median sagittal section of the specimen to a point about an inch

posterior to the last gill slits or study a section of a reserved animal. Examine the cut
surface and identify the various parts. Draw.

Label: Esophagus, buccal cavity, pharynx, velum, gill slits, gill pouches, gill
lamellae, notochord, branchial basket, neural canal, spinal cord, brain,
nasopharyngeal sac, nasopharygeal canal, pericardial cavity.

C. The Ammocoetes Larva

The cyclostomes have a larval stage called Ammocoetes ( because

originally supposed to be a distinct genus), which endures from two to five or six years.
In the lampreys, this larva lives in burrows in the bottoms of sreams, feeding on
diatoms, desmids and other minute organisms. The ammocoete larva is of great
phylogenetic importance as illustrating primitive vertebrate structure.

Specimen: Prepared whole mount of Ammocoetes larva

1. Whole mount of Ammocoetes larva

Examine a whole mount of ammocoete larva under low power

objective and identify the following parts. Draw.

Label: Oral hood, oral papillae, gill, telencephalon, olfactory bulb,

diencephalons, infundibulum, pineal body, mesencephalon,
rhombencephalon, buccal cavity, subpharygeal gland, esophagus,
intestine, gall bladder.

2. Older larvae of Ammocoete

Examine an older larvae with hand lens or under binocular

microscope. Identify the following. Draw.

Label: Oral hood, nasopharygeal opening, gill slits, myotemea, anus,

caudal and dorsal fins, eyes.

3. Section of ammocoete through the pharyngeal region

Study the cross section of ammocoete through the pharyngeal region under
LPO. Identify and draw the following structures seen under the microscope.
 Label: Dorsal and ventral fin fold, neural canal, spinal cord, notochord,
dorsal aorta, posterior cardinal veins, esophagus, liver, pronephros,
intestine, kidney.

REVIEW QUESTIONS:

1. Describe briefly the two groups of lamprey.

2. Give the function(s) of the following:

a. dorsal fin
b. tail fin
c. gill slits
ESSENTIAL FEATURES OF LOWER TYPES OF CHORDATES

PART I. Phylum Hemichordata, A Prechordate Group

Figure 2.1. External anatomy of Balanoglossus

PART I. Subphylum Urochordata

ESSENTIAL FEATURES OF LOWER TYPES OF CHORDATES

Fig.2.2a External Features of Tunicates, Styela sp.

Fig. 2.2b. Internal Features of a Tunicates, Styela sp.

 ESSENTIAL FEATURES OF LOWER TYPES OF CHORDATES

PART III. Subphylum Cephalochordate Fig. 2.3a. External

anatomy of Amphioxus (Branchiostoma sp.)

Fig. 2.3b. Internal anatomy of Amphioxus (Branchiostoma sp.) anterior end.

 Fig. 2.3c. Cross section through oral hood of Amphioxus (Branchiostoma sp.)

Fig. 2.3d. Transverse section through the pharyngeal region of the female Amphioxus
(Branchiostoma sp.)

Fig. 2.3e. . Transverse section through the pharyngeal region of the male Amphioxus
(Branchiostoma sp.)
Fig. 2.3f. Cross section through intestinal region ( Anterior to Atriopore) of
Amphioxus (Branchiostoma sp.)

Fig. 2.3g. Cross-section through tail of Amphioxus (Branchiostoma sp.)

ESSENTIAL FEATURES OF LOWER TYPES OF CHORDATES

PART IV. Order Cyclostomata

Fig.2.4a. External features of Lamprey (Petromyzon)

 Fig.2.4b. The buccal cavity of Lamprey(Petromyzon)

Fig. 2.4c. Sagittal section of the anterior end of a Lamprey (Petromyzon) Fig.
2.5c. Section of ammocoete larvae through pharyngeal region

Fig. 2.5d. Section through the trunk of an ammocoete larvae