Craniata

Encyclopedia : C : CR : CRA : Craniata

Craniata is an unranked group of chordate animals that contains the vertebrates (subphylum Vertebrata) and hagfish (Myxini), which are sometimes grouped under Vertebrata. Craniata includes all animals with skulls, hence the name.

Recent genetic analysis (see Hagfish) indicates that Myxini should be a part of Vertebrata. In this case Craniata might now be superfluous as a separate clade.

• Myxini (or Hyperotreti)
• *Myxiniformes
• **Myxinidae
• Vertebrata
• *Gnathostomata
• **Chondrichthyes
• **Teleostomi
• *Hyperoartia
• **Petromyzontiformes

Craniates have skulls, like this pygmy hippopotamus skull

From Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Original article here. Support Wikipedia by contributing or donating.
All text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License See Wikipedia Copyrights for details.