| Loricifera |
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| This
phylum's 'place' relative to other phyla:
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Selected
taxa within this taxon:
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>100 species but most have not yet been formally described.
Discovered in 1983 off the French coast
(2nd
newest phylum) accidentally.
Characteristics
Phylogeny
Only one living Loricifera has been observed so they have not been sequenced (Aquinaldo et al. 1997). However, several morphological characteristics link the Loricifera other two cephalorhyncha phyla and other ecdyzoans (such as?). Higgin larva shares morphology with juvenile priapulids, nematomorphs and kinorhynchs (but also with rotifers). The three cephalorhyncha may be united into a single phylum in the near furture.
General LESSON
concerning the Cephalorhyncha phyla (and more broadly the
cylconeuralia):
This group shares characteristics with rotifers and acanthocephalans,
and
with echiura and sipunculid taxa, and with nematodes. Therefore
molecular
sequence data has been particularly valuable in this mystery. No
clear way to support one hypothesis over the others without this kind
of
approach.
Lecture Sources:
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