Branchiostomidae

/ˌbræŋkioʊstoʊˈmeɪdeɪ/ noun

Definition

The family of lancelets, small marine animals that are primitive relatives of fish.

Etymology

From Branchiostoma + the taxonomic family suffix -idae, following Linnaean nomenclature for biological classification.

Kelly Says

The Branchiostomidae family is a window into vertebrate evolution—these creatures have existed largely unchanged for millions of years, making them 'living laboratories' for studying early vertebrate anatomy.

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