Lancelet

Branchiostoma lanceolatum

• Group: Other
• Typical depth: 7–9 m

Not quite a fish, the lancelet is a slim translucent creature that buries itself tail down in coarse sand, leaving only its mouth tentacles exposed to filter food. It lives in shallow coastal sediment near estuary outflows and can dart short distances with its fringe of fins. It sits close to the root of the vertebrate family tree.

Taxonomy: Animalia › Chordata › Leptocardii › Branchiostomatidae › Branchiostoma

Species data via the World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS), AphiaID 104906.