All vertebrates are built along the basic chordate body plan: a stiff rod running through the length of the animal, with a hollow tube of nervous tissue above it and the gastrointestinal tract below. In all vertebrates, the mouth is found at, or right below, the anterior end of the animal, while the anus opens to the exterior before the end of the body. The remaining part of the body continuing aft of the anus forms a tail with vertebrae and spinal cord, but no gut. The vertebrates are the only chordate group to exhibit a proper brain. A slight swelling of the anterior end of the nerve cord is found in the lancelet, though it lacks the eyes and other complex sense organs comparable to those of vertebrates. Other chordates do not show any trends towards cephalisation. The central nervous system is based on a hollow nerve tube running along the length of the animal, from which the peripheral nervous system branches out to enervate the various systems. This book offers a comprehensive description of the applications of various fields in this subject. The book will be appropriate as a guide for students.
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