The paired arterial structures of the embryo that supplies each developing somite via efferent segmental arteries; the dorsal aortae articulate with the umbilical arteries, which return mixed blood to the villi of the chorion for reoxygenation. [ https://www.worldcat.org/search?q=bn%3A0-914294-08-3 MP:0004787 ]
Synonyms: paired dorsal aortae