What biological indicator does the Phylum Chordata classification confirm for *A. ocellatus*?

Answer

Possession of a notochord at some developmental stage

Placing the Pacific wolf eel into the Phylum Chordata confirms a foundational characteristic shared by all members of this group, including all vertebrates. This characteristic is the presence of a notochord at some point during the organism's development, which provides skeletal support. This places it above the Kingdom level classification (*Animalia*), which only indicates it is multicellular and heterotrophic, and distinguishes it from invertebrates lacking this defining embryonic structure.

What biological indicator does the Phylum Chordata classification confirm for *A. ocellatus*?
animalclassificationscienceeel