Phoronis & Phoronopsis: Taxonomic characters


References at the end of the page

For histological section level see Technical notes    
 

Diagnostic features of the adult genera Section level
  • Phoronis: without epidermal invagination at the base of the lophophore.
A
  • Phoronopsis: with an epidermal invagination at the base of the lophophore.
A
Diagnostic features of the adult species Section level
  • Habits
-
  • Shape of longitudinal muscle bundles (fathery of bushy)
A & B
  • Number of giant nerve fibres (one or two)
A
  • Coelomic funnels of nephridia (one or two)
A
  • Nephridia branches (ascending or ascending & descending)
A
  • Development of nephridial epithelium (absent-present: restricted to reproductive period)
A
  • Lophophoral organs (small or large)
A
  • Gonads (dioecious or hemaphroditic)
C
  • Developmental patterns, (direct release or brooding patterns: a, b, or c)
A
  • Larva (actinotroch or creeping)
_
  • Additional non-phylogenetic characters are also used as:
  
    • Mean and general formulae of the longitudinal muscles bundles
A & B & C
    • Shape of the lophophore (oval, horshoe-shaped, spiral with x coils on each side, helicoidal)
A
    • Morphology of the nephridia as opening of the nephridiopore, size of the coelomic funnels
A
    • Absence of lateral mesentery (Phoronis muelleri)
A & B & C
    • Circulatory system (Phoronis ovalis)
A & B
Emig C. C., 1971. Taxonomie et systématique des Phoronidiens. Bull. Mus. Nat. Hist. nat. Paris, (Zool.), 8, 469-568.

Emig C. C., 1979. British and other Phoronids. In : Synopses of the British fauna, Eds Kermack D. M. & R. S. K. Barnes, Acad. Press, London, 13, 57 pp.

Emig C. C., 1985. A new method for representing trees. System. Zool., 34 (2), 234-238.

Emig C. C., 1985. Phylogenetic systematics in Phoronida (Lophophorata). Z. zool. System. Evolut.-forsch., 23 (3), 184-193.