4.) Vertebrates have six pairs of aortic arches.

The first aortic arch is located in the mandibular

visceral arch. It is always lost or reduced to remnants in adults.
1. Cyclostomes- they have eight or more aortic arches and a long ventral aorta. The dorsal
one is single over the gills like in lampreys, and paired like in hagfishes.
2. Chondrichthyes and Dipnoi- the 2nd aortic arch is retained which will then serve as the
hyoidean hemobranch. The cartilaginous fish have 5 brachial afferent arteries.
Meanwhile, actinopterygii have 4 to serve their holobranch. Dipnoans have pulmonary
arteries that branch from the efferent segments of the 6th arches.
3. Adult Tetrapods- lack both 1st and 2nd aortic arches.
○ Adult amphibians- retained the paired 4th aortic arch which delivers blood to the
posterior part of the body. In anurans, the 6th aortic arch gave rise to the
pulmonary arteries. Salamanders retained the 5th and 6th aortic arches.
○ Adult reptiles- patterned just like the anurans, except the conus is divided into 3
channels instead of 2.
○ Birds- the right, 4th aortic arch becomes the systemic arch.
○ Mammals- retained only the left systemic arch.