European Lancelet (Branchiostoma lanceolatum)

European Lancelet

Creator: Hans Hillewaert

Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0

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Species record

European Lancelet

Branchiostoma lanceolatum

Explore the European Lancelet (Branchiostoma lanceolatum) species record in The Ark Is Earth, including classification, habitat, distribution, conservation information, and sources.

Summary

The European lancelet is a small, fish-shaped cephalochordate that buries itself in clean sand on shallow seafloors. It filter-feeds with its mouth and gill structures while retaining a notochord throughout life.

Classification in this archive

  1. Kingdom: Animals
  2. Phylum: Chordates
  3. Subphylum: Lancelets
  4. Class: Lancelets
  5. Order: Lancelets
  6. Family: Lancelets
  7. Genus: Branchiostoma

Habitat and distribution

Selected documented locations — not a complete species range.

Habitat
sandy seafloor, shallow coastal waters
Selected regions
Europe, Asia

Conservation status

The Ark records: Not Evaluated.

Did you know?

  • A lancelet keeps its notochord into adulthood.
  • Lancelets are chordates, but they have no backbone.

More images

A detailed view of the head region of a European lancelet (*Branchiostoma lanceolatum*).

Head region of the European lancelet (*Branchiostoma lanceolatum*).

Creator: Parent Géry

Licence: CC BY-SA 3.0

View image source

Sources and attribution