Why did the vertebrate heart evolve from a smaller two

Last updated: 3/29/2023

Why did the vertebrate heart evolve from a smaller two chambered pump to a larger more robust four chambered one The four chambered heart separates the blood circulation into one circuit for vital organs and one circuit for nonvital structures More derived vertebrate groups have a more complex and robust four chambered heart because they have more complex nervous systems The four chambered heart increases the flow rate of blood through the body in order to meet the higher oxygen demand of endothermic animals To be able to handle pumping blood through larger animal bodies