One of the dominant invertebrates of the Paleozoic Era, the phyllum Brachiopoda is represented by more than 25,000 fossil species. At present only about 250 species survive, occurring throughout the world but abundant only in such locales as the Sea of Japan and Australian waters. Brachiopods have a bivalve shell superficially resembling the Pelecypoda, but the internal anatomy is strikingly different. The organism feeds by means of a pair of organs called brachia (known collectively as the lophophore), consisting of loops or spirals of cilia-covered tissue. The lophophore is similar to the feeding apparatus of the Ectoprocta and Phoronida, suggesting that these phyla have a common ancestry (Hickman, 1973). The name brachiopod (Greek for arm-footed) was proposed by Dumeril in 1806, who assumed that the brachia were used for locomotion. Internal organs include muscles, a digestive tract, several glands, and a simple nervous system. A fleshy foot, the pedicle, extends between the valves...
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Ager, D. V., 1967. Brachiopod paleoecology, Earth Sci. Rev. 3, 157–179.
Hickman, C. P., 1973. Biology of Invertebrates. St. Louis, Mo.: C. V. Mosby Co., 757p.
Moore, R. C., ed., 1965. Treatise on Invertebrate Paleontology, Part H, Brachiopoda. New York: Geological Society of America, 523–927.
Cross references
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1982 Hutchinson Ross Publishing Company
About this entry
Cite this entry
Mustoe, G. (1982). Brachiopoda . In: Beaches and Coastal Geology. Encyclopedia of Earth Sciences Series. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/0-387-30843-1_77
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/0-387-30843-1_77
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY
Print ISBN: 978-0-87933-213-6
Online ISBN: 978-0-387-30843-2
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive