From Encyclopedia Jr, free information reference for Kids
| Loricifera |
Pliciloricus enigmatus
|
| Scientific classification |
| Kingdom: |
Animalia
|
| Phylum: |
Loricifera
Kristensen, 1983 |
|
|
Genera
|
|
Nanaloricus
Armorloricus
Phoeniciloricus
Pliciloricus
Rugiloricus
Titaniloricus
|
Loricifera is a small phylum of marine sediment-dwelling animals with about a twenty-one known species in six genera. The phylum was discovered in 1983 by Reinhardt Kristensen. The animals have a head, mouth and digestive system as well as a set of specialized umbrella skeleton like scales at each end that are used to move the animals. There is no circulatory system and no endocrine system. The body cavity is a pseudocoel with a mouth and an anus. The animals are hermaphrodites and probably oviparous. They have no fossil record.
Their closest relatives are thought to be the Kinorhyncha and Priapulida with which they constitute the taxon Scalidophora.
