| Definition: | Paired trunk vessels that run medially along the dorsal-most portion of the trunk and post-vent region. The DLAVs are formed by the longitudinal anastomoses of the intersegmental vessels to form a right and left pair of dorsal longitudinal anastomotic vessels. These paired vessels remodel to form a single plexiform vessel beginning at 3dpf continuing until after 7dpf.  The basilar artery connects to the DLAVs at the caudal end of the medulla oblongata.  In the early embryo (2.5-3.5 dpf) the primitive hindbrain channels also connect to the DLAV. |