The Aschelminthes (Aeschelminthes or Nemathelminthes), closely associated with the Platyhelminthes, are an obsolete phylum of pseudocoelomate and other similar animals that are no longer considered closely related and have been promoted to phyla in their own right. The term Aschelminth is now generally only used as an informal name for any member of the approximately ten different invertebrate phyla formerly included within Aschelminthes.

It is a polyphyletic group.[1]

Subdivisions

Although invertebrate experts[2] do not necessarily agree on these categorizations, groups that are generally incorporated into Aschelminthes include:

Gnathifera

Nematoidea

Scalidophora

In addition, Cycliophora, Entoprocta[3] and Tardigrada are sometimes included.[4]

References

  1. ^ Winnepenninckx B, Backeljau T, Mackey LY, et al. (November 1995). "18S rRNA data indicate that Aschelminthes are polyphyletic in origin and consist of at least three distinct clades". Mol. Biol. Evol. 12 (6): 1132–7. doi:10.1093/oxfordjournals.molbev.a040287. PMID 8524046.
  2. ^ "Introduction to the "Aschelminth" Phyla". University of California Museum of Paleontology.
  3. ^ Kenneth M. Halanych (2004). "The New View of Animal Phylogeny". Annual Review of Ecology, Evolution, and Systematics. 35 (1): 229–256. doi:10.1146/annurev.ecolsys.35.112202.130124.
  4. ^ M., Kinchin, Ian (1994). The biology of tardigrades. Portland Press. p. 10. ISBN 1-85578-043-7. OCLC 702705558.((cite book)): CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)

External links

Extant Animal phyla
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