Xenoturbella Totally Explained

Everything about Xenoturbella totally explained

Xenoturbella is a genus of bilaterian animals; it contains two marine worm-like species. Its taxonomic position has been considered enigmatic since its discovery in 1949, but a 2003 DNA study has positioned it as a primitive deuterostome outside the established phyla (Bourlat et al., 2003). Earlier it was suspected to be closely related to molluscs (Noren & Jondelius, 1997), but it turned out that the DNA test was contaminated with DNA from molluscs which it may have eaten (Bourlat et al., 2003; Israelsson & Budd, 2006). The earlier results were recently corroborated; the genus is now the sole member of its own phylum Xenoturbellida (Haszprunar et al., 1991; Bourlat et al., 2006). It appears that this phylum is basal within the deuterostomes. Xenoturbella has a very simple body plan: it has no brain, no through gut, no excretory system, no organized gonads (but does have gametes; eggs and embryos occur in follicles [Israelssonand Budd]), or any other defined organs except for a "statocyst" containing flagellated cells; it has cilia and a diffuse nervous system. The animal is up to 4 cm long, and has been found off the coasts of Sweden, Scotland and Iceland.
The association of specimens of Xenoturbella with mollusc larva has led many to suggest that they're molluscivores. However, a more radical interpretation, of this and other data, is that that the Xenoturbella larval stage develops as an internal parasite of certain molluscus.
The genus Xenoturbella contains two species:

Further Information

Get more info on 'Xenoturbella'.

External Link Exchanges

Do you know how hard it is to get a link from a large encyclopaedia? Well we're different and will prove it. To get a link from us just add the following HTML to your site on a relevant page:

<a href="http://xenoturbella.totallyexplained.com">Xenoturbella Totally Explained</a>

Then simply click through this link from your web page. Our crawlers will verify your link, extract the title of your web page and instantly add a link back to it. If you like you can remove the words Totally Explained and embed the link in article text.
As long as your link remains in place, we'll keep our link to you right here. Please play fair - our crawlers are watching. Your site must be closely related to this one's topic. Any kind of spamming, dubious practises or removing the link will result in your link from us being dropped and, potentially, your whole site being banned.