Lophotrochozoans definitions Flashcards
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Lophotrochozoans
A superphylum of bilateral, protostome invertebrates, including organisms with a lophophore for feeding or trochophore larvae with cilia for movement and feeding. Examples: mollusks, annelids, brachiopods.
Superphylum
A superphylum is a high-level taxonomic category that groups together multiple related phyla, encompassing a broad range of organisms with shared characteristics.
Bilateral
Having body symmetry where the organism can be divided into two identical halves along a single plane.
Trochophore
A larval stage of certain invertebrates, characterized by a ring of cilia used for swimming and feeding, found in groups like mollusks and annelids.
Cilia
Hair-like projections from cells that move rhythmically to propel fluids, particles, or the cell itself, aiding in locomotion and feeding.
Alimentary Canal
A digestive tube with two openings, a mouth and an anus, allowing for a one-way flow of food and waste, found in many organisms.
Lophophore
A specialized feeding structure in some invertebrates, resembling a crown of ciliated tentacles, used for suspension feeding by capturing and directing food particles towards the mouth.
Ectoprocs
Colonial invertebrates with a lophophore for suspension feeding, resembling moss, and building reef-like structures; also known as Bryozoans.
Rotifers
Microscopic, bilateral invertebrates with a pseudocoelom, named for their ciliated corona used for feeding and locomotion. They reproduce via parthenogenesis and are crucial in freshwater ecosystems.
Mollusks
Soft-bodied invertebrates with a muscular foot, visceral mass, and mantle, often with a calcium carbonate shell; includes snails, clams, and squids.