Which term refers to the plane that divides an animal into right and left halves?

The term that refers to the plane dividing an animal into right and left halves is known as the median plane. This plane is specifically oriented vertically and runs down the midline of the body, creating symmetrical halves. When an organism is divided along this plane, the resulting sections on either side are mirror images of each other.

In contrast, the frontal plane, also known as the coronal plane, divides the body into anterior (front) and posterior (back) sections, which does not achieve the right and left separation. The sagittal plane also divides the body into right and left portions, but it does so off-center, resulting in unequal halves, unless it coincides exactly with the median plane. The transverse plane, on the other hand, cuts across the body horizontally, creating superior (upper) and inferior (lower) divisions, which is not relevant in the context of right and left body divisions.