When Did Cephalochordata Start?

Evolution of Chordates. The fossil record of chordates begins in the early Cambrian period, roughly 530 million years ago. The oldest known chordate fossil was found in China and described in 1995. It is a member of the species Yunnanozoon lividium, within the subphylum Cephalochordata.

When did the first chordates appear?

Many scientists maintain that chordates originated sometime earlier than 590 million years ago; that is, they predate the fossil record.

What came first in chordate evolution?

The earliest chordates were all marine animals like tunicates and lancelets. As chordates continued to evolve, they spread to freshwater habitats and ultimately to land. The amphibians represent an intermediate phase in the water to land transition of chordates.