Lophophore

 ( Protostome Anatomy ) 

The lophophore () is a characteristic feeding organ possessed by four major groups of : the Brachiopoda, Bryozoa, Hyolitha, and Phoronida, which collectively constitute the protostome group Lophophorata. Introduction to the Lophotrochozoa – Retrieved 3 May 2010 All lophophores are found in aquatic organisms.

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Etymology Lophophore is derived from the Greek lophos (crest, tuft) and -phore, -phoros (φορος) (bearing), a derivative of phérein (φέρειν) (to bear); thus crest-bearing.

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Characteristics The lophophore can most easily be described as a ring of tentacles surrounding the mouth, but it is often horseshoe-shaped or coiled. Phoronids have their lophophores in plain view, but the valves of brachiopods must be opened wide to get a good view of their lophophore.

The lophophore surrounds the mouth and is an upstream collecting system for suspension feeding. Its tentacles are hollow, with extensions of a body cavity space thought to be a mesocoel. The gut is U-shaped with the anterior mouth at the center of the lophophore. The anus, where present, is also anterior but is dorsal to the mouth. In the Bryozoa, it is outside the ring of the lophophore. The inarticulate brachiopods do not have an anus.

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Classification of lophophorates Groups with lophophores are called lophophorates. In the old view of metazoan phylogeny, the lophophorates were placed within the Deuterostomia. With the emergence of molecular phylogenies they have been reassessed and placed in a new superphylum known as the Lophotrochozoa in the Protostomia, which includes the Mollusca and Annelida. Newer phylogenies place the bryozoans in the group Polyzoa, which also includes entoprocta and Cycliophora, while molluscs, and annelids group together, with brachiozoans and annelids as possible sister taxa. Polyzoa is back: The effect of complete gene sets on the placement of Ectoprocta and Entoprocta Armoured worm reveals the ancestry of three major animal groups

The extinct hederellid, Microconchida, cornulitids, and tentaculite were likely lophophorates based on their biomineralization. The position of the Hyolitha has long been disputed, but as of 2017, it has been assigned to the Lophophorata as finely preserved specimens in the Burgess Shale can be seen to carry lophophores. Lophophorates did appear paraphyletic, but that is contested.

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