Ascophora is an infraorder under order

Cheilostomatida Cheilostomatida, also called Cheilostomata, is an order of Bryozoa in the class Gymnolaemata. They are exclusively marine, colonial invertebrate animals. Cheilostome colonies are composed of calcium carbonate and grow on a variety of surfaces, ...

of the

Bryozoa Bryozoa (also known as the Polyzoa, Ectoprocta or commonly as moss animals) are a phylum of simple, aquatic animal, aquatic invertebrate animals, nearly all living in sedentary Colony (biology), colonies. Typically about long, they have a spe ...

. They are now considered a synonym of

Flustrina Flustrina is a suborder under the order Cheilostomatida of gymnolaematan Bryozoa (sea mats). The structure of the individual zooids is generally simple, a box-like chamber of calcium carbonate, the polypides reaching out through an uncalcified ...

. Ascophorans are distinguished from other cheilostomes in having a completely

calcified Calcification is the accumulation of calcium salts in a body tissue. It normally occurs in the formation of bone, but calcium can be deposited abnormally in soft tissue,Miller, J. D. Cardiovascular calcification: Orbicular origins. ''Nature Mat ...

wall covering their frontal surface apart from the orifice, and possessing an

ascus An ascus (; : asci) is the sexual spore-bearing cell produced in ascomycete fungi. Each ascus usually contains eight ascospores (or octad), produced by meiosis followed, in most species, by a mitotic cell division. However, asci in some gen ...

(hence the name of the suborder). The ascus is a water-filled sac of frontal membrane opening at or near the orifice. It functions as a

hydrostatic Hydrostatics is the branch of fluid mechanics that studies fluids at hydrostatic equilibrium and "the pressure in a fluid or exerted by a fluid on an immersed body". The word "hydrostatics" is sometimes used to refer specifically to water and o ...

system by allowing water into the space below the inflexible frontal wall when the zooid everts its

polypide The polypide in bryozoans encompasses most of the organs and tissues of each individual zooid. This includes the tentacles, tentacle sheath, U-shaped digestive tract, musculature and nerve cells. It is housed in the zooidal exoskeleton, which in ...

(feeding tentacles) by muscles pulling the frontal membrane inwards (non-ascophorans do not need this structure as their frontal wall is not calcified). The structure of this frontal wall is the basis of distinguishing the four major subdivisions of the Ascophora, each of which is, however, currently under suspicion of being

polyphyletic A polyphyletic group is an assemblage that includes organisms with mixed evolutionary origin but does not include their most recent common ancestor. The term is often applied to groups that share similar features known as Homoplasy, homoplasies ...

and/or

paraphyletic Paraphyly is a taxonomic term describing a grouping that consists of the grouping's last common ancestor and some but not all of its descendant lineages. The grouping is said to be paraphyletic ''with respect to'' the excluded subgroups. In co ...

.Gordon, D.P. 2000. Towards a phylogeny of cheilostomes - morphological models of frontal wall/shield evolution. Proceedings of the 11th International Byozoology Association Conference: 17-37 They are therefore listed here as 'unranked' groupings. Ascophorans are exclusively marine, but very widespread geographically and ecologically. They grow on various substrates and in a variety of colony shapes.

Classification

*Suborder Ascophora **Section Acanthostegomorpha ***Superfamily Cribrilinoidea ****Family

Cribrilinidae The Cribrilinidae family is a part of the suborder Ascophora within the bryozoa Bryozoa (also known as the Polyzoa, Ectoprocta or commonly as moss animals) are a phylum of simple, aquatic animal, aquatic invertebrate animals, nearly all l ...

****Family †Lekythoglenidae ****Family

Euthyroididae Euthyroididae is a family of bryozoans belonging to the order Cheilostomatida Cheilostomatida, also called Cheilostomata, is an order of Bryozoa in the class Gymnolaemata. They are exclusively marine, colonial invertebrate animals. Cheilosto ...

****Family

Polliciporidae ''Pollicipora'' is a monotypic genus of bryozoa Bryozoa (also known as the Polyzoa, Ectoprocta or commonly as moss animals) are a phylum of simple, aquatic animal, aquatic invertebrate animals, nearly all living in sedentary Colony (biology ...

***Superfamily Bifaxarioidea ****Family Bifaxariidae ****Family †Platyglenidae ****Family Mixtopeltidae ***Superfamily †Scorioporoidea ****Family †Scorioporidae ****Family †Nephroporidae ***Superfamily Catenicelloidea ****Family Catenicellidae ****Family †Concatenellidae ****Family

Eurystomellidae Eurystomellidae is a family of bryozoans belonging to the order Cheilostomatida Cheilostomatida, also called Cheilostomata, is an order of Bryozoa in the class Gymnolaemata. They are exclusively marine, colonial invertebrate animals. Cheilos ...

****Family Savignyellidae ****Family Petalostegidae **Section Hippothoomorpha ***Superfamily Hippothooidea ****Family Hippothoidae ****Family Chorizoporidae ****Family Trypostegidae ****Family Pasytheidae ***Superfamily †Dysnoetoporoidea ****Family †Dysnoetoporidae **Section Umbonulomorpha ***Superfamily Arachnopusioidea ****Family Arachnopusiidae ****Family Exechonellidae ***Superfamily Adeonoidea ****Family

Adeonidae The Adeonidae is a family within the bryozoan order Cheilostomatida. Colonies are often upright bilaminar branches or sheets, perforated by large holes in some species (e.g. '' Adeona cellulosa''). The zooids generally have one or more adventiti ...

****Family Adeonellidae ****Family Inversiulidae ***Superfamily Pseudolepralioidea ****Family Pseudolepraliidae ***Superfamily Lepralielloidea ****Family Dhondtiscidae ****Family

Bryocryptellidae Bryocryptellidae is a family of bryozoans belonging to the order Cheilostomatida Cheilostomatida, also called Cheilostomata, is an order of Bryozoa in the class Gymnolaemata. They are exclusively marine, colonial invertebrate animals. Cheilo ...

****Family Romancheinidae ****Family †Sfeniellidae ****Family

Umbonulidae Umbonulidae is a family of bryozoans belonging to the order Cheilostomatida Cheilostomatida, also called Cheilostomata, is an order of Bryozoa in the class Gymnolaemata. They are exclusively marine, colonial invertebrate animals. Cheilostome ...

****Family Tessaradomidae ****Family Hincksiporidae ****Family Sclerodomidae ****Family Metrarabdotosidae ***Superfamily Chlidoniopsoidea ****Family

Chlidoniopsidae Chlidoniopsidae is a family of bryozoans belonging to the order Cheilostomatida Cheilostomatida, also called Cheilostomata, is an order of Bryozoa in the class Gymnolaemata. They are exclusively marine, colonial invertebrate animals. Cheilos ...

**Section Lepraliomorpha ***Superfamily Smittinoidea ****Family Smittinidae ****Family

Bitectiporidae The Bitectiporidae is a family within the bryozoan order Cheilostomatida. Colonies are encrusting on shells and rocks or upright bilaminar branches or sheets. The zooids generally have at least one adventitious avicularia on their frontal wall n ...

****Family Watersiporidae ***Superfamily Schizoporelloidea ****Family

Schizoporellidae The Schizoporellidae is a family within the bryozoan order Cheilostomatida. Colonies are encrusting on shells and rocks or upright bilaminar branches or sheets. The zooidal orifice has a narrow V-shaped sinus. References

Cheilostomati ...

****Family

Stomachetosellidae The Stomachetosellidae is a family within the bryozoan order Cheilostomatida. Colonies are encrusting on shells and rocks or upright bilaminar branches or sheets. The zooids generally have at least one avicularium, adventitious avicularia on thei ...

****Family Tetraplariidae ****Family †Bryobaculidae ****Family Phorioppniidae ****Family Porinidae ****Family Margarettidae ****Family Myriaporidae ****Family Hippopodinidae ****Family

Pacificincolidae Pacificincolidae is a family of bryozoans belonging to the order Cheilostomatida Cheilostomatida, also called Cheilostomata, is an order of Bryozoa in the class Gymnolaemata. They are exclusively marine, colonial invertebrate animals. Cheilo ...

****Family Hippaliosinidae ****Family †Duvergieriidae ****Family

Gigantoporidae Gigantoporidae is a family of bryozoans belonging to the order Cheilostomatida. Genera: * '' Barbadiopsis'' Winston & Woollacott, 2009 * '' Cosciniopsis'' Canu & Bassler, 1927 * '' Gephyrophora'' Busk, 1884 * ''Gigantopora ''Gigantopora'' is ...

****Family Lanceoporidae ****Family

Cheiloporinidae Cheiloporinidae is a family of bryozoans belonging to the order Cheilostomatida. Genera: * ''Cheilopora'' Levinsen, 1909 * ''Cheiloporina'' Canu & Bassler, 1923 * ''Crustoporina'' Guha & Nathan, 1996 * ''Cyttaridium'' Harmer, 1957 * ''Hagiosynod ...

****Family Cryptosulidae ****Family Actisecidae ****Family

Teuchoporidae Teuchoporidae is a family of bryozoans belonging to the order Cheilostomatida. Genera: * ''Coleopora ''Coleopora'' is a genus of bryozoans Bryozoa (also known as the Polyzoa, Ectoprocta or commonly as moss animals) are a phylum of simpl ...

****Family Echinovadomidae ****Family Phoceanidae ****Family Mawatariidae ****Family Vicidae ****Family †Cheilhorneropsidae ****Family Microporellidae ****Family

Calwelliidae Calwelliidae is a family of bryozoans belonging to the order Cheilostomatida. Genera: * ''Calwellia'' Wyville Thomson, 1858 * ''Ichthyaria'' Busk, 1884 * ''Ijimaiellia'' Gordon, 2009 * ''Malakosaria'' Goldstein, 1882 * ''Onchoporella'' Busk, 188 ...

****Family

Petraliidae Petraliidae is a family of bryozoans belonging to the order Cheilostomatida Cheilostomatida, also called Cheilostomata, is an order of Bryozoa in the class Gymnolaemata. They are exclusively marine, colonial invertebrate animals. Cheilostome ...

****Family Petraliellidae ****Family Cyclicoporidae ****Family

Lacernidae Lacernidae is a family of bryozoans belonging to the order Cheilostomatida Cheilostomatida, also called Cheilostomata, is an order of Bryozoa in the class Gymnolaemata. They are exclusively marine, colonial invertebrate animals. Cheilostome ...

****Family

Escharinidae Escharinidae is a family of bryozoans belonging to the order Cheilostomatida Cheilostomatida, also called Cheilostomata, is an order of Bryozoa in the class Gymnolaemata. They are exclusively marine, colonial invertebrate animals. Cheilostom ...

****Family

Acoraniidae Acoraniidae is a family of bryozoans belonging to the order Cheilostomatida. It was introduced in order to accommodate the new genus ''Acorania'' which did not fit, at the time, in any of the described cheilostomes. It was discovered during a de ...

****Family Buffonellodidae ****Family Jaculinidae ****Family Eminooeciidae ****Family Fenestrulinidae ***Superfamily Urceoliporoidea ****Family Urceoliporidae ****Family †Prostomariidae ***Superfamily Didymoselloidea ****Family

Didymosellidae Didymosellidae is a family of bryozoans belonging to the order Cheilostomatida Cheilostomatida, also called Cheilostomata, is an order of Bryozoa in the class Gymnolaemata. They are exclusively marine, colonial invertebrate animals. Cheilost ...

***Superfamily Euthyriselloidea ****Family

Euthyrisellidae Euthyrisellidae is a family of bryozoans belonging to the order Cheilostomatida. Genera: * ''Euthyrisell'' Bassler, 1936 * ''Neoeuthyris'' Bretnall, 1921 * ''Pleurotoichus'' Levinsen, 1909 * ''Pseudoplatyglena'' Gordon & d'Hondt, 1997 * ''Tropi ...

***Superfamily Siphonicytaroidea ****Family Siphonicytaridae ***Superfamily Mamilloporoidea ****Family

Mamilloporidae Mamilloporidae is a family of bryozoans belonging to the order Cheilostomatida Cheilostomatida, also called Cheilostomata, is an order of Bryozoa in the class Gymnolaemata. They are exclusively marine, colonial invertebrate animals. Cheilost ...

****Family

Crepidacanthidae Crepidacanthidae is a family of bryozoans belonging to the order Cheilostomatida Cheilostomatida, also called Cheilostomata, is an order of Bryozoa in the class Gymnolaemata. They are exclusively marine, colonial invertebrate animals. Cheilo ...

****Family

Cleidochasmatidae Cleidochasmatidae is a family of bryozoans belonging to the order Cheilostomatida Cheilostomatida, also called Cheilostomata, is an order of Bryozoa in the class Gymnolaemata. They are exclusively marine, colonial invertebrate animals. Cheil ...

****Family Ascosiidae ***Superfamily Celleporoidea ****Family

Celleporidae Celleporidae is a family of bryozoans – colonial, aquatic, invertebrates – in the order Cheilostomatida. Structurally, they are defined by densely packed zooids (individual animals which make up the colony). The zooids usually have irregular ...

****Family Torquatellidae ****Family

Hippoporidridae Hippoporidridae is a family of bryozoans belonging to the order Cheilostomatida. Genera: * '' Abditoporella'' Sosa-Yañez, Vieira & Solís-Marín, 2015 * '' Fodinella'' Tilbrook, Hayward & Gordon, 2001 * ''Hippoporella'' Canu, 1917 * ''Hippopori ...

****Family Phidoloporidae ***Superfamily Conescharellinoidea ****Family Conescharellinidae ****Family Batoporidae ****Family Lekythoporidae ****Family Orbituliporidae ****Family †Cuvillieridae

References

Protostome infraorders Cheilostomatida {{bryozoan-stub