What are brachiopods?
Q: What are brachiopods?
A: Brachiopods are a phylum of small marine shellfish, sometimes called lampshells.
Q: Where do brachiopods live?
A: Brachiopods used to live near the shore (littoral zone), but now they have been pushed into deeper water by competition from bivalve molluscs.
Q: How did brachiopods occupy their environment during the Palaeozoic era?
A: During the Palaeozoic era, brachiopods occupied a number of marine ecological niches. They were among the most abundant filter-feeders and reef-builders. Many sat on the sea floor, but some swam in the jet-propulsion style of scallops.
Q: How do brachiopod shells differ from bivalve mollusc shells?
A: Brachiopod shells or "valves" have upper and lower surfaces, unlike the left and right arrangement in bivalve molluscs. Brachiopod valves are hinged at the rear end and can be opened for feeding or closed for protection.
Q: What are two major groups of brachipoda recognized?
A: Two major groups of brachipoda are recognized - articulate and inarticulate. Articulate brachipoda have toothed hinges and simple opening and closing muscles, while inarticulate ones have untoothed hinges and a more complex system of muscles used to fit the two halves together.
Q: What is a pedicle valve?
A: A pedicle valve is an opening in one of the valves that attaches an animal to the seabed but clear of silt that would block its opening.
Q: How many species of living and fossilized brachipoda exist today?
A: There are about 100 to 350 species living today; 12,000 fossil species exist as well.
