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phylum Chordata
Echinoderms are the most closely related phylum to the phylum Chordata, which includes many complex organisms such as humans.
What is closest invertebrate relative?
Botryllus schlosseri is humans’ closest living invertebrate relative. At first glance, Botryllus schlosseri has very little in common with humans. The small sea creature fuses together with others to form colonies that look like psychedelic blobs, encrusting rocks and seaweeds.
Which animals have backbones?
The 5 groups of vertebrates (animals that have a backbone) are fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals.
Which is closely related to vertebrates?
Traditionally, cephalochordates are considered as the closest living relatives of vertebrates, with tunicates representing the earliest chordate lineage.
Are larval tunicates vertebrates?
Although tunicates are invertebrates (animals without backbones) found in the subphylum Tunicata (sometimes called Urochordata), they are part of the Phylum Chordata, which also includes animals with backbones, like us.
How are vertebrates alike?
As chordates, all vertebrates have a similar anatomy and morphology with the same qualifying characteristics: a notochord, a dorsal hollow nerve cord, pharyngeal slits, and a post-anal tail. Vertebrates comprise about 4 percent of all described animal species; the remainder are invertebrates, which lack backbones.
Are bonobos or chimpanzees closer to humans?
Chimpanzees have long been thought to be the species most anatomically similar to humans, but a recent study from Howard and George Washington Universities found that the bonobo may be our closer relative. It is believed that human and common chimpanzee/bonobo lineages split about 8 million years ago.
What is the closest sea animal to a human?
sea urchins
This, scientists say, shows that sea urchins are closer kin to humans than beetles, flies, crabs, and clams. “Humans and sea urchins have a common ancestor,” Weinstock says. The eyeless sea urchin also has genes associated with taste, smell, hearing, balance—and surprisingly, even vision.