What are Chaetognatha?
Q: What are Chaetognatha?
A: Chaetognatha is a phylum of small predatory marine animals commonly known as arrow worms.
Q: Where are Chaetognatha found?
A: Chaetognatha are found in all marine waters from surface tropical waters and shallow tide pools to deep sea and polar regions.
Q: What percentage of Chaetognatha are benthic?
A: About 20% of the known species of Chaetognatha are benthic and can attach to algae or rocks.
Q: What is the size range of Chaetognatha?
A: Chaetognatha range in size from 2 to 120 millimetres (0.079 to 4.724 inches).
Q: How many modern Chaetognatha species are there?
A: There are only about 120 modern species of Chaetognatha in 20 genera.
Q: What is the neurotoxin used by some Chaetognatha species?
A: Some Chaetognatha species are known to use the neurotoxin tetrodotoxin to subdue their prey.
Q: When did Chaetognatha originate?
A: Chaetognatha appear to have originated in the Cambrian Period. Complete body fossils have been described from China and the Middle Cambrian Burgess Shale of British Columbia.
