Caudofoveata is a small
class
Class, Classes, or The Class may refer to:
Common uses not otherwise categorized
* Class (biology), a taxonomic rank
* Class (knowledge representation), a collection of individuals or objects
* Class (philosophy), an analytical concept used d ...
within the
phylum
In biology, a phylum (; : phyla) is a level of classification, or taxonomic rank, that is below Kingdom (biology), kingdom and above Class (biology), class. Traditionally, in botany the term division (taxonomy), division has been used instead ...
Mollusc
Mollusca is a phylum of protostome, protostomic invertebrate animals, whose members are known as molluscs or mollusks (). Around 76,000 extant taxon, extant species of molluscs are recognized, making it the second-largest animal phylum ...
a, also known as Chaetodermomorpha. The class is often combined with
Solenogastres and termed
Aplacophora, but some studies have cast doubt on the monophyly of this group.
Anatomy
Caudofoveata are worm-like molluscs ranging 0.02–10 cm in size, but one species, Chaetoderma felderi, can reach 36.5 cm. The foot is completely absent, and instead of a shell their mantle is covered in calcareous spines called
sclerites.
Ecology
Caudofoveates live by burrowing through soft sediment, and feed by lying vertically in the sediment with just the mouthparts exposed and taking in passing organic detritus. During
sexual reproduction
Sexual reproduction is a type of reproduction that involves a complex life cycle in which a gamete ( haploid reproductive cells, such as a sperm or egg cell) with a single set of chromosomes combines with another gamete to produce a zygote tha ...
, the female produces eggs which are fertilized and brooded, and then the larvae swim freely.
Diet
Caudofoveates are deposit feeders, or more selective detritivores or predators of
foraminifera
Foraminifera ( ; Latin for "hole bearers"; informally called "forams") are unicellular organism, single-celled organisms, members of a phylum or class (biology), class of Rhizarian protists characterized by streaming granular Ectoplasm (cell bio ...
.
Taxonomy
Caudofoveata comprises the following families and genera:
*
Chaetodermatidae
** ''
Caudofoveatus''
** ''
Chaetoderma''
*
Falcidentidae
** ''
Falcidens''
** ''
Furcillidens''
*
Limifossoridae
** ''
Limifossor''
*
Metachaetodermatidae
** ''
Metachaetoderma''
*
Prochaetodermatidae
** ''
Chevroderma''
** ''
Claviderma''
** ''
Lonchoderma''
** ''
Niteomica''
** ''
Prochaetoderma''
** ''
Spathoderma''
*
Scutopodidae
** ''
Psilodens''
** ''
Scutopus''
There are 15 genera, with about 150 known species.
References
{{Taxonbar, from=Q1141060
Caudofoveata
Mollusc classes