Gnathostomulida
Sign in to saveGnathostomulids, or jaw worms, are a small phylum of nearly microscopic marine animals. They inhabit sand and mud beneath shallow coastal waters and can survive in relatively anoxic environments. They were first recognised and described in 1956.
Wikidata facts
- Instance of
- taxon
- Subclass of
- invertebrate
- Parent taxon
- Spiralia
- Image
- Gnathostomula paradoxa Sylt.tif
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- P105
- phylum
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Article
4 sectionsContents
- Anatomy
- Reproduction
- Taxonomy
- References
Gnathostomulids, or jaw worms, are a small phylum of nearly microscopic marine animals. They inhabit sand and mud beneath shallow coastal waters and can survive in relatively anoxic environments. They were first recognised and described in 1956.
==Anatomy== Most gnathostomulids measure in length. They are often slender to thread-like worms, with a generally transparent body. In many Bursovaginoidea, one of the major group of gnathostomulids, the neck region is slightly narrower than the rest of the body, giving them a distinct head.