Where is the hollow nerve cord located in a chordate’s body?

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A translucent X-ray fish (Pristella maxillaris) swims in an aquarium, showing its visible backbone and internal structures through its body. — Chordate X-ray fish (*Pristella maxillaris*), is an example of a chordate with a visible backbone.

In all members of the phylum Chordata, the hollow nerve cord is located dorsally, meaning it is positioned above the gut.12

This structure, which serves as the precursor to the spinal cord in vertebrates, runs along the length of the body. It is situated above the notochord, a flexible, rodlike supporting structure that plays a critical role in the development of the central nervous system.213