Kids Research Express

. Loriciferan, name of a group of tiny marine animals, first identified in 1974, and established as a new phylum in 1983 by Danish zoologist Reinhardt Kristensen. Loriciferans are unusual, nearly microscopic creatures 0.25 to 0.33 mm (0.01 to 0.013 in) long. They are generally oval in shape. The head ends in a beaklike conical mouth that can be retracted into the body. The mouth is surrounded by nine rings of bristly scales, the first set of which point forward, the rest backward. The body is encased in several hard plates that resemble a corset, from which the group gets the name Loricifera, meaning “corset-bearer.” At the hind end of the body is an anus. Much of the body cavity of adults is filled with either developing eggs or testes. There is a specialized immature form known as a Higgins larva. It has a pair of oarlike scales, called toes, at its hind end which are used for locomotion. Little is known about the reproduction and life history of loriciferans. Scientific classificati

. Arthropoda -> Largest and most diverse invertebrate phylum characterized by animals with jointed limbs, a segmented body, and an exoskeleton made of chitin. Arthropods are abundant and successful in almost all habitats. The exoskeleton is divided into plates that enhance flexibility and movement. Periodic molting of the exoskeleton permits growth. Arthropods have a complex brain and nervous system. Many arthropods have a compound eye made up of numerous light-sensitive parts. Reproduction is sexual. – Examples: Ants, beetles, butterflies, lobsters, shrimp, crabs, scorpions, spiders, ticks Ectoprocta or Bryozoa -> Small, mostly marine animals that resemble simplified horseshoe worms, with a lophophore surrounding the mouth. They live in colonies, attaching to the sea bottom or seaweed. Bryozoans are hermaphroditic and reproduce asexually (by budding) and sexually. – Examples: Moss animals Entoprocta or Kamptozoa -> Small, mostly marine animals with a globular body mounted