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Natural History - Phylogeny
The phylogeny of living organisms has changed dramatically in the past few years. As a consequence you will find that different sites may given different, and sometimes
conflicting, systematic arrangements for the same group of organisms. No where is this more true than for the "lower organisms", i.e. those groups traditionally treated as
bacteria, protozoans, algae and fungi. The traditional older arrangement divided live into two main group; the Monera (bacteria and blue-green algae) and the Eucaryotes
(protozoa, algae, plants, fungi, and animals). This older scheme was surplanted by the so-called "Five Kingdom Classification" created by Robert Whittaker. [eng]
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PHYLUM PRIAPULIDA
The Priapulida are benthic, worm-like animals commonly found in cooler marine environments. Priapulidans range in size
from 0.5mm to 30cm in length, although the majority are between 12 and 15cm long. Only around sixteen species have
been identified positively as belonging to this phylum [Ruppert and Barnes, 1994]. Priapulidans can be found from the
intertidal zone to depths of several thousand metres, burrowing into soft sediments or existing as interstitial organisms. [eng]
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Priapulida
Description, picture. [eng]
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Introduction to the "Aschelminth" Phyla
Acanthocephala -- spiny-headed parasitic worms; about 1150 species known
Chaetognatha -- arrowworms; about 70 species known.
Cycliophora -- cycliophorans; 1 species known, microscopic
Gastrotricha -- gastrotrichs; about 430 species known, all microscopic
Kinorhyncha -- kinorhynchs; about 150 species known, all microscopic
Loricifera -- loriciferans; about 10 species described, all microscopic
Nematoda -- nematodes or roundworms; about 12,000 species known, but an estimated 200,000+ species extant, mostly microscopic
Nematomorpha -- horsehair worms; about 320 species known
Priapulida -- priapulid worms; 16 species known, abut half microscopic
Rotifera -- rotifers or "wheel animalcules"; about 1500 species known, all microscopic
[eng]
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Priapula
Part of tree of Life - Classification from Brusca and Brusca (1990). [eng]
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PRIAPULIDA. The Columbia Encyclopedia
Phylum consisting of 17 species of predatory, unsegmented marine worms that live in the sand and
mud at the sea bottom. The largest are 4 to 6 in. (10–17 cm) long, but the majority of species are less
than .05 in. (.13 cm) in size. The animals consist of a spiny body with an anterior that can be everted
or inverted into the trunk for locomotion or feeding. Spines around the mouth and in the pharnyx are
everted to capture prey. The sexes are separate and the egg is fertilized externally, hatching into a
larval stage in all but one species. [eng]
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Nearctica - Natural History - Miscellaneous small phyla
The priapulids are marine animals looking somewhat like a cross between a worm
and a cucumber. They have a two part body with an anterior prosoma consisting of
a bulbous proboscis, a short collar, and a mouth armed with short hooks. The
second body part is a warty trunk. No sites dealing with this animal have been
found on the Web. [eng]
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Literaturliste der Priapulida
[]
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