CLASSIFICATION OF RHABDOPLEURA
PHYLUM :- HEMICHORDATA ( Marine, enterocoelous coelomate. Notochord confined to head region).
CLASS :- PTEROBRANCHIA (Small hemichordates with encased body. U-shaped intestine).
FAMILY :- RHABDOPLEURIDA (Colonial, no gil-slits; 1 gonad).
Genus : Rhabdopleura
GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION
- It is mainly found in southern hemisphere especially reported from Norway and Ireland coasts.
HABIT AND HABITAT
It is a marine and colonial hemichordate, found 5 to 6 meters deep. The colony is formed on hard substratum and also in association with mollusc shells, bryozoans and tunieates.
GENERAL CHARACTERSTICS OF RHABDOPLEURA
- Colony consists of zooids enclosed into erect tubes which are much more elongated than zooids.
- Colony contains erect coenoecium extended zooids, contractile stalk, decumbent coenoecium, retracted zooids, pectocaulus and young buds.
- Each zooid is composed of stalk, trunk sac, oral lamella, pigment stripe, cephalic shield, arms and tentacles.
- There is a lophophore with one pair of arms, one gonad, but without gill-slits.
- Alimentary canal is V-shaped.
- Most of the zooids are sterile, but male and female specimens may be observe.
- Sexes united. Development includes a free-swimming larva.
- Zooids are formed by budding, but the buds do not break off from the stolon and remain permanently attached to form a colony.
SPECIAL FEATURES
Rhabdopleura is a colonial hemichordate with organic continuity between individuals that are produced by a sexual budding from one individual.
IDENTIFICATION
- It contains extended zooids and all above features, hence it is Rhabdopleura.
REFERENCES
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhabdopleura
- https://faculty.washington.edu/bjswalla/Hemichordata/Pterobranchia/rhabdopleura%20normani.html
- Book of Practical Zoology VERTEBRATE by S.S.LAL – Rastogi Publications.
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