- Ascophora
Taxobox
name = Ascophora
fossil_range = LateCretaceous - Recent
regnum =Animal ia
phylum =Bryozoa
classis =Gymnolaemata
ordo =Cheilostomata
subordo = Ascophora
subordo_authority = Levinsen, 1909
subdivision_ranks =Infraorder s
subdivision =Acanthostegomorpha Hippothoomorpha Lepraliomorpha Umbonulomorpha Ascophora is a sub-order under order
Cheilostomata . 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 ahydrostatic system by allowing water into the space below the inflexible frontal wall when the zooid everts itspolypide (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 [ Gordon, D.P. 2000. Towards a phylogeny of cheilostomes - morphological models of frontal wall/shield evolution. Proceedings of the 11th International Byozoology Association Conference: 17-37 ] . They are therefor 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
**InfraorderAcanthostegomorpha
***SuperfamilyCribrilinoidea
****FamilyCribrilinidae
****Family †Lekythoglenidae
****FamilyEuthyroididae
****FamilyPolliciporidae
***SuperfamilyBifaxarioidea
****FamilyBifaxariidae
****Family †Platyglenidae
****FamilyMixtopeltidae
***Superfamily †Scorioporoidea
****Family †Scorioporidae
****Family †Nephroporidae
***SuperfamilyCatenicelloidea
****FamilyCatenicellidae
****Family †Concatenellidae
****FamilyEurystomellidae
****FamilySavignyellidae
****FamilyPetalostegidae
**InfraorderHippothoomorpha
***SuperfamilyHippothooidea
****FamilyHippothoidae
****FamilyChorizoporidae
****FamilyTrypostegidae
****FamilyPasytheidae
***Superfamily †Dysnoetoporoidea
****Family †Dysnoetoporidae
**InfraorderUmbonulomorpha
***SuperfamilyArachnopusioidea
****FamilyArachnopusiidae
****FamilyExechonellidae
***SuperfamilyAdeonoidea
****FamilyAdeonidae
****FamilyAdeonellidae
****FamilyInversiulidae
***SuperfamilyPseudolepralioidea
****FamilyPseudolepraliidae
***SuperfamilyLepralielloidea
****FamilyDhondtiscidae
****FamilyBryocryptellidae
****FamilyRomancheinidae
****Family †Sfeniellidae
****FamilyUmbonulidae
****FamilyTessaradomidae
****FamilyHincksiporidae
****FamilySclerodomidae
****FamilyMetrarabdotosidae
***SuperfamilyChlidoniopsoidea
****FamilyChlidoniopsidae
**InfraorderLepraliomorpha
***SuperfamilySmittinoidea
****FamilySmittinidae
****FamilyBitectiporidae
****FamilyWatersiporidae
***SuperfamilySchizoporelloidea
****FamilySchizoporellidae
****FamilyStomachetosellidae
****FamilyTetraplariidae
****Family †Bryobaculidae
****FamilyPhorioppniidae
****FamilyPorinidae
****FamilyMargarettidae
****FamilyMyriaporidae
****FamilyHippopodinidae
****FamilyPacificincolidae
****FamilyHippaliosinidae
****Family †Duvergieriidae
****FamilyGigantoporidae
****FamilyLanceoporidae
****FamilyCheiloporinidae
****FamilyCryptosulidae
****FamilyActisecidae
****FamilyTeuchoporidae
****FamilyEchinovadomidae
****FamilyPhoceanidae
****FamilyMawatariidae
****FamilyVicidae
****Family †Cheilhorneropsidae
****FamilyMicroporellidae
****FamilyCalwelliidae
****FamilyPetraliidae
****FamilyPetraliellidae
****FamilyCyclicoporidae
****FamilyLacernidae
****FamilyEscharinidae
****FamilyAcoraniidae
****FamilyBuffonellodidae
****FamilyJaculinidae
****FamilyEminooeciidae
***SuperfamilyUrceoliporoidea
****FamilyUrceoliporidae
****Family †Prostomariidae
***SuperfamilyDidymoselloidea
****FamilyDidymosellidae
***SuperfamilyEuthyriselloidea
****FamilyEuthyrisellidae
***SuperfamilySiphonicytaroidea
****FamilySiphonicytaridae
***SuperfamilyMamilloporoidea
****FamilyMamilloporidae
****FamilyCrepidacanthidae
****FamilyCleidochasmatidae
****FamilyAscosiidae
***SuperfamilyCelleporoidea
****FamilyCelleporidae
****FamilyTorquatellidae
****FamilyHippoporidridae
****FamilyPhidoloporidae
***SuperfamilyConescharellinoidea
****FamilyConescharellinidae
****FamilyBatoporidae
****FamilyLekythoporidae
****FamilyOrbituliporidae
****Family †Cuvillieridae References
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