protochordate
/ˌprəʊtə(ʊ)ˈkɔːdeɪt/ /ˌprəʊtə(ʊ)ˈkɔːdət/Zoology
noun
Any of the small marine animals belonging to the phylum Hemichordata or to either of the chordate subphyla Urochordata and Cephalochordata, characterized (at some point in the life cycle) by a hollow dorsal nerve cord, a notochord, and gill slits; a hemichordate, urochordate, or cephalochordate, or a hypothetical ancestral form of any of these.
- The protochordates lack a skull and vertebrae and are believed to resemble the ancestors of the vertebrates..
adjective
Of or designating a protochordate.
Origin
Late 19th century. From proto- + chordate, after scientific Latin Protochordata, former group name.
- ultramicroscopic
- ultra-modern
- ultramontane
- ultramontanism
- ultramundane
- ultranationalism
- ultranationalist
- ultranationalistic
- ultraportable
- ultrarunner
- ultrarunning
- ultrasaurus
- ultrashort
- ultrasonic
- ultrasonically
- ultrasonics
- ultrasonographer
- ultrasonographic
- ultrasonography
- ultrasound
- ultrastructure
- ultra-thin
- ultraviolet
- ultraviolet lamp
- ultra vires