Which Characteristic Helps Distinguishes Deuterostomes from Protostomes

Question

Which characteristic helps distinguishes deuterostomes from protostomes?
A) Ectodermal appendages
B) Ability to form a blastopore
C) Embryological origin of the mouth
D) Mesodermal migration
E) Nervous system pigmentation

Accepted Answer

Deuterostomes have an embryological origin of the mouth forming secondarily from a new opening, while protostomes have the mouth forming from the blastopore, the original opening. This is a fundamental difference in development between the two groups.