What specific feature justifies the placement of Hydrophis platurus within Phylum Chordata?
Answer
The presence of a notochord, dorsal hollow nerve cord, and post-anal tail during development.
Phylum Chordata is a fundamental grouping defined by several key embryonic characteristics present during at least one life stage of the organism. For *Hydrophis platurus*, confirmation of its Chordate status rests on possessing a notochord, a dorsal hollow nerve cord, pharyngeal slits, and a post-anal tail at some point in its development. These features are shared across the diverse range of Chordates, including fish, birds, and mammals, establishing a deep ancestral link for this reptile, regardless of its specialized adaptations to the ocean environment later in its evolutionary history.
Related Questions
Why was Hydrophis platurus moved from the genus Pelamis to Hydrophis?What significant characteristic defines the Family Elapidae, to which Hydrophis platurus belongs?Which defining trait of Class Reptilia does Hydrophis platurus typically deviate from in its life cycle?What specific feature justifies the placement of Hydrophis platurus within Phylum Chordata?Who first formally named the species as *platurus* and in what year, according to accepted nomenclature authority?What defining feature distinguishes snakes within Order Squamata, which includes *H. platurus*?What does the notation *Hydrophis* (*Pelamis*) *platurus* signify regarding the original classification?What necessary characteristic is confirmed by the designation of *H. platurus* in Kingdom Animalia?What evolutionary conclusion is supported by *H. platurus* belonging to Family Elapidae despite its pelagic life?What concept does the specific epithet *platurus* reference regarding the physical attributes of *H. platurus*?