What ancestral internal structure confirms the placement of the Zebra Spitting Cobra in the Phylum Chordata?
Answer
Possession of a notochord at some point during its life cycle.
Membership in the Phylum Chordata is established by the presence of four specific features at some stage of the organism's life cycle: a notochord, a dorsal hollow nerve cord, pharyngeal slits, and a post-anal tail. For *Naja nigricincta*, even though the adult form is highly specialized as a snake, its internal anatomy confirms this foundational placement. The notochord, a flexible rod providing skeletal support, is the key ancestral trait confirming its position high within the vertebrate lineage, differentiating it from invertebrates.
Related Questions
What characterizes the venom delivery system in the Family Elapidae that includes *Naja nigricincta*?What physical description is implied by the specific epithet *nigricincta* in *Naja nigricincta*?What defensive posture distinguishes members of the genus *Naja* from other elapids like mambas or kraits?Which reptilian Order is characterized by kinetic skulls and the process of ecdysis for snakes like *Naja nigricincta*?What defining physiological trait links *Naja nigricincta* to the Class Reptilia regarding its interaction with the environment?What ancestral internal structure confirms the placement of the Zebra Spitting Cobra in the Phylum Chordata?What is the general nature of the venom composition typical for snakes classified within the Family Elapidae?Which species are noted as being sometimes confused with or closely related to *Naja nigricincta* based on geography and spitting behavior?What nutritional requirement places *Naja nigricincta* within the Kingdom Animalia rather than Fungi or Plants?What specific taxonomic rank confirms that *Naja nigricincta* possesses the defining characteristic of forming a hood when threatened?