Ascophora
Encyclopedia
Ascophora is a infraorder under order Cheilostomata
of the Bryozoa
. Ascophorans are distinguished from other cheilostomes in having a completely calcified
wall covering their frontal surface apart from the orifice, and possessing an ascus
(hence the name of the suborder). The ascus is a water-filled sac of frontal membrane opening at or near the orifice. It functions as a hydrostatic system by allowing water into the space below the inflexible frontal wall when the zooid everts its polypide
(feeding tentacles) by muscles pulling the frontal membrane inwards (non-ascophorans do not need this structure as their frontal wall is not calcified).
The structure of this frontal wall is the basis of distinguishing the four major subdivisions of the Ascophora, each of which is, however, currently under suspicion of being polyphyletic
and/or paraphyletic
. They are therefore listed here as 'unranked' groupings.
Ascophorans are exclusively marine, but very widespread geographically and ecologically. They grow on various substrates and in a variety of colony shapes.
Cheilostomata
Cheilostomata, an order of Bryozoa in the class Gymnolaemata, are exclusively marine, colonial invertebrate animals. Cheilostome colonies are composed of calcium carbonate and grow on a variety of surfaces, including rocks, shells, seagrass and kelps. The colony shapes range from simple encrusting...
of the Bryozoa
Bryozoa
The Bryozoa, also known as Ectoprocta or commonly as moss animals, are a phylum of aquatic invertebrate animals. Typically about long, they are filter feeders that sieve food particles out of the water using a retractable lophophore, a "crown" of tentacles lined with cilia...
. Ascophorans are distinguished from other cheilostomes in having a completely calcified
Calcification
Calcification is the process in which calcium salts build up in soft tissue, causing it to harden. Calcifications may be classified on whether there is mineral balance or not, and the location of the calcification.-Causes:...
wall covering their frontal surface apart from the orifice, and possessing an ascus
Ascus (bryozoa)
The ascus is a diagnostic morphological feature of the bryozoan suborder Ascophora . It is a water-filled sac of frontal membrane opening at or near the zooid orifice...
(hence the name of the suborder). The ascus is a water-filled sac of frontal membrane opening at or near the orifice. It functions as a hydrostatic system by allowing water into the space below the inflexible frontal wall when the zooid everts its polypide
Polypide
The polypide in bryozoans encompasses most of the organs and tissues of each individual zooid. This includes the tentacles, tentacle sheath, U-shaped digestive tract, musculature and nerve cells. It is housed in the zooidal skeleton, which in cyclostomes is tubular and in cheilostomes is box-shaped....
(feeding tentacles) by muscles pulling the frontal membrane inwards (non-ascophorans do not need this structure as their frontal wall is not calcified).
The structure of this frontal wall is the basis of distinguishing the four major subdivisions of the Ascophora, each of which is, however, currently under suspicion of being polyphyletic
Polyphyly
A polyphyletic group is one whose members' last common ancestor is not a member of the group.For example, the group consisting of warm-blooded animals is polyphyletic, because it contains both mammals and birds, but the most recent common ancestor of mammals and birds was cold-blooded...
and/or paraphyletic
Paraphyly
A group of taxa is said to be paraphyletic if the group consists of all the descendants of a hypothetical closest common ancestor minus one or more monophyletic groups of descendants...
. They are therefore listed here as 'unranked' groupings.
Ascophorans are exclusively marine, but very widespread geographically and ecologically. They grow on various substrates and in a variety of colony shapes.
Classification
- Suborder Ascophora
- SectionAcanthostegomorpha
- Superfamily Cribrilinoidea
- Family CribrilinidaeCribrilinidaeThe Cribrilinidae family is a part of the suborder Ascophora within the bryozoans. They are characterized by numerous spinose ribs overarching the frontal membrane of each zooid.- Classification :...
- Family †Lekythoglenidae
- Family Euthyroididae
- Family Polliciporidae
- Family Cribrilinidae
- Superfamily Bifaxarioidea
- Family Bifaxariidae
- Family †Platyglenidae
- Family Mixtopeltidae
- Superfamily †Scorioporoidea
- Family †Scorioporidae
- Family †Nephroporidae
- Superfamily Catenicelloidea
- Family CatenicellidaeCatenicellidaeThe Catenicellidae are a group of ascophoran bryozoans, making up the namesake family of the superfamily Catenicelloidea. These animals are characterized by branching colonies, which are flexible due to soft joints between nodes consisting of single or a few zooids...
- Family †Concatenellidae
- Family Eurystomellidae
- Family Savignyellidae
- Family Petalostegidae
- Family Catenicellidae
- Superfamily Cribrilinoidea
- Section Hippothoomorpha
- Superfamily Hippothooidea
- Family Hippothoidae
- Family Chorizoporidae
- Family Trypostegidae
- Family Pasytheidae
- Superfamily †Dysnoetoporoidea
- Family †Dysnoetoporidae
- Superfamily Hippothooidea
- Section Umbonulomorpha
- Superfamily Arachnopusioidea
- Family ArachnopusiidaeArachnopusiidaeThe Arachnopusiidae is a family within the bryozoan order Cheilostomata....
- Family Exechonellidae
- Family Arachnopusiidae
- Superfamily Adeonoidea
- Family AdeonidaeAdeonidaeThe Adeonidae is a family within the bryozoan order Cheilostomata. Colonies are often upright bilaminar branches or sheets, perforated by large holes in some species . The zooids generally have one or more adventitious avicularia on their frontal wall...
- Family AdeonellidaeAdeonellidaeThe Adeonellidae is a family within the bryozoan order Cheilostomata. Colonies are often upright bilaminar branches or sheets. The zooids generally have one or more adventitious avicularia on their frontal wall...
- Family InversiulidaeInversiulidaeThe Inversiulidae is a family within the bryozoan order Cheilostomata. Colonies are often encrusting sheets on shells or rocks. The zooids are characterised by having an operculum that opens in the opposite way to other cheilostome genera; i.e. the hinge is located at the 'top' of the zooid....
- Family Adeonidae
- Superfamily Pseudolepralioidea
- Family Pseudolepraliidae
- Superfamily Lepralielloidea
- Family Dhondtiscidae
- Family Bryocryptellidae
- Family Romancheinidae
- Family †Sfeniellidae
- Family Umbonulidae
- Family Tessaradomidae
- Family Hincksiporidae
- Family Sclerodomidae
- Family Metrarabdotosidae
- Superfamily Chlidoniopsoidea
- Family Chlidoniopsidae
- Superfamily Arachnopusioidea
- Section Lepraliomorpha
- Superfamily Smittinoidea
- Family SmittinidaeSmittinidaeThe Smittinidae is a family within the bryozoan order Cheilostomata. Colonies are encrusting on shells and rocks or upright bilaminar branches or sheets. The zooids generally have at least one adventitious avicularia on their frontal wall near the orifice. The frontal wall is usually covered with...
- Family BitectiporidaeBitectiporidaeThe Bitectiporidae is a family within the bryozoan order Cheilostomata. Colonies are encrusting on shells and rocks or upright bilaminar branches or sheets. The zooids generally have at least one adventitious avicularia on their frontal wall near the orifice. The frontal wall is usually covered...
- Family Watersiporidae
- Family Smittinidae
- Superfamily Schizoporelloidea
- Family SchizoporellidaeSchizoporellidaeThe Schizoporellidae is a family within the bryozoan order Cheilostomata. Colonies are encrusting on shells and rocks or upright bilaminar branches or sheets. The zooidal orifice has a narrow V-shaped sinus....
- Family StomachetosellidaeStomachetosellidaeThe Stomachetosellidae is a family within the bryozoan order Cheilostomata. Colonies are encrusting on shells and rocks or upright bilaminar branches or sheets. The zooids generally have at least one adventitious avicularia on their frontal wall near the orifice. The frontal wall is usually covered...
- Family Tetraplariidae
- Family †Bryobaculidae
- Family Phorioppniidae
- Family Porinidae
- Family Margarettidae
- Family Myriaporidae
- Family Hippopodinidae
- Family Pacificincolidae
- Family Hippaliosinidae
- Family †Duvergieriidae
- Family Gigantoporidae
- Family Lanceoporidae
- Family Cheiloporinidae
- Family Cryptosulidae
- Family Actisecidae
- Family Teuchoporidae
- Family Echinovadomidae
- Family Phoceanidae
- Family Mawatariidae
- Family Vicidae
- Family †Cheilhorneropsidae
- Family MicroporellidaeMicroporellidaeThe Microporellidae is a family within the bryozoan order Cheilostomata.- Classification :*Family Microporellidae** Genus Adelascopora** Genus Calloporina** Genus Chronocerastes** Genus Cribriporella** Genus Diporula...
- Family Calwelliidae
- Family Petraliidae
- Family Petraliellidae
- Family Cyclicoporidae
- Family Lacernidae
- Family Escharinidae
- Family Acoraniidae
- Family Buffonellodidae
- Family Jaculinidae
- Family Eminooeciidae
- Family Schizoporellidae
- Superfamily Urceoliporoidea
- Family Urceoliporidae
- Family †Prostomariidae
- Superfamily Didymoselloidea
- Family Didymosellidae
- Superfamily Euthyriselloidea
- Family Euthyrisellidae
- Superfamily Siphonicytaroidea
- Family Siphonicytaridae
- Superfamily Mamilloporoidea
- Family Mamilloporidae
- Family Crepidacanthidae
- Family Cleidochasmatidae
- Family Ascosiidae
- Superfamily Celleporoidea
- Family CelleporidaeCelleporidaeThe Celleporidae is a family within the bryozoan order Cheilostomata.- Classification :*Family Celleporidae** Genus Buffonellaria** Genus Buskea** Genus Calvipelta** Genus Cellepora** Genus Celleporina...
- Family Torquatellidae
- Family Hippoporidridae
- Family PhidoloporidaePhidoloporidaeThe Phidoloporidae is a family within the bryozoan order Cheilostomata. The colonies of many genera grow in an upright, reticulate branching manner, which gave rise to one colloquial name for this group as 'lace corals'...
- Family Celleporidae
- Superfamily Conescharellinoidea
- Family Conescharellinidae
- Family Batoporidae
- Family Lekythoporidae
- Family Orbituliporidae
- Family †Cuvillieridae
- Superfamily Smittinoidea
- SectionAcanthostegomorpha