Amphioxus

Amphioxus belong to the group of cephalochordates, the most basal group of chordates. They are small marine animals, only a few centimeters long, that resemble tiny fish in appearance. They clearly exhibit the typical chordate body plan, with visible bands of segmental muscle, or myomeres. Adults live buried in sediment, with only the anterior end protruding, which is equipped with sensory cirri. Unlike the other animals analyzed in the NoDe project, amphioxus swims very efficiently using contractions of its body musculature. Therefore, the movements of individuals in response to exposure to anthropogenic sounds will be analyzed to assess the impact on their behavior.