Loricifera

E405694

Loricifera are tiny, sediment-dwelling marine invertebrates known for their protective lorica (armor-like casing) and for including species that can live entirely without oxygen.

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All labels observed (1)

Label Occurrences
Loricifera canonical 3

Statements (49)

Predicate Object
instanceOf phylum
taxon
bodySize 0.05–0.7 mm
cellBiologyFeature lack of typical mitochondria in some species
presence of mitochondrion-derived organelles in some species
clade Cycloneuralia
commonName loriciferans
contains genus Nanaloricus
genus Pliciloricus
multiple described genera and species
describedBy Reinhardt Kristensen
distribution worldwide oceans
ecologicalRole component of meiofauna
participant in benthic nutrient cycling
etymology name refers to lorica, an armor-like casing
feedingType benthic detritivore
microbial grazer
foundIn Levantine Basin
surface form: L’Atalante Basin

Mediterranean deep hypersaline anoxic basins
habitat marine environment
sea floor sediment
hasCharacteristic armor-like cuticular casing
bilateral symmetry
chitinous cuticle
complex life cycle
direct development
introvert with scalids
microscopic size
molting
pseudocoelomate or acoelomate body organization
segmented lorica
separate sexes
sexual reproduction
kingdom Animalia
larvalType Higgins larva
lifestyle meiobenthic
livesIn interstitial spaces between sediment grains
notableFor adaptation to hypersaline anoxic basins
first known multicellular animals with a fully anaerobic lifestyle
presence of species that live entirely without oxygen
oxygenRequirement some species are obligately anaerobic
oxygenTolerance some species die when exposed to oxygen
reproductiveMode oviparous
researchSignificance important for phylogeny of Ecdysozoa
important for understanding animal life in anoxic environments
sisterGroupOf Kinorhyncha
Priapulida
superphylum Ecdysozoa
yearDescribed 1983

Referenced by (3)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Ecdysozoa contains Loricifera
Protostomia includes Loricifera
Kinorhyncha relatedTo Loricifera