LORICIFERA
HAVE/ARE |
| Bilaterally symmetrical |
| Distinct head, neck and trunk
region |
| An eversible head and
protrusible mouth cone with stylets |
| A trunk covered by a cuticle
case of six longitudinal plates with forward directed spines at the anterior
end. |
| Larval instars separated by
moults |
| A well-developed brain and
ventral nerve cord |
| A pseudocolomic hydrostatic
skeleton |
| A through gut with terminal
anus |
| Separate sexes |
| Marine |
So far only one
species has been described (in 1983, see right), but there are thought to be
more. Recently (2010) 3 new species have been found in the Mediterranean, 200 m deep in anoxic sediment - an environment that was previously thought to support only bacteria. They are less than 3 mm long and cling to sedimentary particles; this
makes detection difficult. They have an eversible, spiny stylets as found in
the Kinorhynchans, but it is not known if it is
everted in the same manner.
|
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![[]](http://m3.moostik.net/img/?pseudo=bumblebeepages&cpt=ILoricifera&option=invisible)