Which one of the following organisms does not possess notochord at any stage of its life cycle?
Holothuria
Herdmania
Exocoetus
Salamander
Answer is Right!
Answer is Wrong!
This question was previously asked in
UPSC CAPF – 2021
Holothuria (sea cucumber) belongs to the phylum Echinodermata, which are non-chordates. Therefore, they do not possess a notochord at any stage of their life cycle. Herdmania (sea squirt) is a Urochordate (Tunicate), which is a subphylum of Chordata; it possesses a notochord in its larval stage. Exocoetus (flying fish) is a bony fish (Vertebrata, Chordata); it possesses a notochord during embryonic development, which develops into the vertebral column in the adult. Salamander (Amphibia, Vertebrata, Chordata) also possesses a notochord during embryonic development that is replaced by the vertebral column.