Habitat
Adult amphioxus typically inhabit the seafloor, burrowing into well-ventilated substrates … See more

The larvae are extremely asymmetrical, with the mouth and anus on the left side, and the gill slits on the right side. Organs associated with the pharynx are positioned either exclusively … See more

The animals are edible and harvested in some parts of the world. They are eaten both fresh, tasting like herring, and as a food additive in dry … See more

• Stach, T.G. (2004). "Cephalochordata (Lancelets)". In M. Hutchins; Garrison, R.W.; Geist, V.; Loiselle, P.V.; Schlager, N.; McDade, M.C.; Duellman, W.E. (eds.). Grzimek's Animal … See more

Taxonomy
The first representative organism of the group to be described was Branchiostoma lanceolatum. It was described by Peter Simon Pallas in … See more

Lancelets became famous in the 1860s when Ernst Haeckel began promoting them as a model for the ancestor of all vertebrates. By 1900 lancelets had become a model organism. By the mid-20th century they had fallen out of favor for a variety of … See more

The lancelets were traditionally seen as the sister lineage to the vertebrates; in turn, these two groups together (sometimes called Notochordata) were considered the sister … See more