Animal Phyla/Kinorhyncha
- Kinorhyncha
- Name Meaning: Motion snout
- English Common Name: Mud dragons
- Major distinguishing characteristics: Eleven segments, each with a dorsal plate
- Approximate number of species described: about 150
Natural History
[edit | edit source]The Kinorhyncha are widespread in mud or sand at all depths in marine waters. They live in the sand or mud.
Taxonomy
[edit | edit source]The Phylum is divided into two orders.
- Order Cyclorhagida
- Order Allomalorhagida
Anatomy
[edit | edit source]Mud dragons are segmented and limbless. They have a body with three parts, the head, neck, and a trunk of eleven segments.
They do not have cilia, but do have a number of spines along the body, plus up to 7 circles of spines around the head. These spines are used for locomotion.
The Fossil Record
[edit | edit source]There is apparently no fossil record of these very small animals.
Quiz
[edit | edit source]References and Further Reading
[edit | edit source]- Kinorhyncha at Wikipedia
- Kinorhyncha at Tree of Life
- Kinorhyncha at Encyclopedia of Life