Caudofoveata is a small

class Class or The Class may refer to: Common uses not otherwise categorized * Class (biology), a taxonomic rank * Class (knowledge representation), a collection of individuals or objects * Class (philosophy), an analytical concept used differentl ...

within the

phylum In biology, a phylum (; plural: phyla) is a level of classification or taxonomic rank below kingdom and above class. Traditionally, in botany the term division has been used instead of phylum, although the International Code of Nomenclature f ...

Mollusc Mollusca is the second-largest phylum of invertebrate animals after the Arthropoda, the members of which are known as molluscs or mollusks (). Around 85,000 extant species of molluscs are recognized. The number of fossil species is esti ...

a, also known as Chaetodermomorpha. The class is often combined with

Solenogastres The Solenogastres (less often referred to as Neomeniomorpha), common name the solenogasters, are one class of small, worm-like, shell-less molluscs (Aplacophora), the other class being the Caudofoveata ( Chaetodermomorpha). MolluscaBase eds. (202 ...

and termed

Aplacophora Aplacophora is a presumably paraphyletic taxon. This is a class of small, deep-water, exclusively benthic, marine molluscs found in all oceans of the world. MolluscaBase eds. (2021). MolluscaBase. Aplacophora. Accessed through: World Register of ...

, but some studies have cast doubt on the monophyly of this group.

Anatomy

Caudofoveata are small (1–30 mm), mainly deep sea molluscs. They are worm-like, lacking shells or distinct muscular feet; they instead have scales and calcareous spines called

sclerite A sclerite (Greek , ', meaning "hard") is a hardened body part. In various branches of biology the term is applied to various structures, but not as a rule to vertebrate anatomical features such as bones and teeth. Instead it refers most commonly ...

s, for movement.

Ecology

Caudofoveates live by burrowing through soft sediment, and feed by lying vertically in the sediment with just the mouthparts exposed and taking in passing organic detritus. During

sexual reproduction Sexual reproduction is a type of reproduction that involves a complex life cycle in which a gamete ( haploid reproductive cells, such as a sperm or egg cell) with a single set of chromosomes combines with another gamete to produce a zygote tha ...

, the female produces eggs which are fertilized and brooded, and then the larvae swim freely.

Diet

Caudofoveates feed on

foraminifera Foraminifera (; Latin for "hole bearers"; informally called "forams") are single-celled organisms, members of a phylum or class of amoeboid protists characterized by streaming granular Ectoplasm (cell biology), ectoplasm for catching food and ot ...

Taxonomy

Caudofoveata comprises the following families and genera: *

Chaetodermatidae Chaetodermatidae is a family of molluscs Mollusca is the second-largest phylum of invertebrate animals after the Arthropoda, the members of which are known as molluscs or mollusks (). Around 85,000 extant species of molluscs are recogn ...

** ''

Caudofoveatus ''Chaetoderma'' is a speciose genus of aplacophoran mollusc.Shuichi Shigeno, Takenori Sasaki, Gerhard Haszprunar (2007Central Nervous System of ''Chaetoderma japonicum'' (Caudofoveata, Aplacophora): Implications for Diversified Ganglionic Plans ...

'' ** '' Chaetoderma'' *

Falcidentidae Chaetodermatidae is a family of molluscs belonging to the order Caudofoveata. Genera: * '' Chaetoderma'' Lovén, 1844 * ''Falcidens ''Falcidens'' is one of three genera within the family Chaetodermatida; its radula consists of a single row o ...

** '' Chaetoderma'' ** ''

Falcidens ''Falcidens'' is one of three genera within the family Chaetodermatida; its radula consists of a single row of teeth which are mineralized in crystalline hydroxyapatite (a most unusual mineral in organisms), and its teeth are not periodically ...

'' ** '' Furcillidens'' *

Limifossoridae Limifossoridae is a family of molluscs belonging to the class Caudofoveata Caudofoveata is a small class within the phylum Mollusca, also known as Chaetodermomorpha. The class is often combined with Solenogastres and termed Aplacophora, but s ...

** '' Limifossor'' *

Metachaetodermatidae Limifossoridae is a family of molluscs belonging to the class Caudofoveata Caudofoveata is a small class within the phylum Mollusca, also known as Chaetodermomorpha. The class is often combined with Solenogastres and termed Aplacophora, but s ...

** '' Metachaetoderma'' * Prochaetodermatidae ** '' Chevroderma'' ** ''

Claviderma ''Claviderma'' is a genus of molluscs belonging to the family Prochaetodermatidae. The species of this genus are found on the coasts of Atlantic Ocean The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of a ...

'' ** '' Lonchoderma'' ** '' Niteomica'' ** '' Prochaetoderma'' ** '' Spathoderma'' *

Scutopodidae Scutopodidae is a monotypic family of molluscs in the class Aplacophora Aplacophora is a presumably paraphyletic taxon. This is a class of small, deep-water, exclusively benthic, marine molluscs found in all oceans of the world. MolluscaBase ...

** '' Psilodens'' ** ''

Scutopus ''Scutopus'' is a genus of chaetoderm mollusc once assigned to the family Scutopodidae. Species in this genus include: * '' Scutopus chilensis'' * '' Scutopus megaradulatus'' * '' Scutopus robustus'' * '' Scutopus ventrolineatus'' References ...

'' There are 15 genera, with about 150 known species.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q1141060 Aplacophorans Mollusc classes