Phoronis

Phoronis
Phoronis hippocrepia
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Phoronida
Family:	Phoronidae
Genus:	Phoronis
Species
Phoronis australis Phoronis hippocrepia Phoronis ijimai Phoronis muelleri Phoronis ovalis Phoronis pallida Phoronis psammophila [1]

Phoronis is one of the two genera of the horseshoe worm family (Phoronidae), in the phylum Phoronida. The body has two sections, each with its own coelom. There is a specialist feeding structure, the lophophore, which is an extension of the wall of the coelom and is surrounded by tentacles. The gut is U-shaped. The diagnostic feature that distinguishes this genus is the lack of epidermal invagination at the base of the lophophore. These worms are filter feeders.^[2]

Its larva is an Actinotrocha.

Taxonomy

Phronis architecta is no longer accepted and is considered to be a synonym of Phoronis psammophila. Similarly Phoronis vancouverensis is considered to be a synonym of Phoronis ijimai.^[3]

References