Question

Which of the following is a common characteristic found in all vertebrates without exception?

• A. Presence of exoskeleton
• B. Presence of well developed skull
• C. Two pairs of functional appendages
• D. Division of the body into head, neck, trunk and tail

Answer 1

The correct option is B Presence of well developed skull

The skull is a bony structure that forms the head in vertebrates. It supports the structures of the face and provides a protective cavity for the brain. The skull is composed of two parts: the cranium and the mandible. So all vertebrates share a common diagnostic character - the elaboration of anterior skeletal elements into a "cranium" or "skull" which houses various sense organs and a complex brain.