Amphioxus

        Amphioxi also known as lancelets are small animals that live in shallow watery areas near the sea. They are used as food in some countries for both human and livestock consumption. In zoology, they have become an important study facet because they provide indications of the origins of vertebrates. Lancelets split from vertebrates over 500 million years ago. This allows lancelets to be compared to modern vertebrates as a comparison for how vertebrates have evolved and adapted. The lancelet genome and vertebrate genome can be compared to see the change and how old genes have been used for new function in the vertebrates.