Cycliophora
/sɪklɪˈɒphərə
/plural noun Zoology
A new phylum that has been proposed for a minute marine invertebrate (Symbion pandora) that was discovered in 1995 attached to the mouthparts of lobsters. It is related to the phyla Bryozoa and Entoprocta.In the original description we stated that the Cycliophora are related to Entoprocta / Ectoprocta....
- Also unresolved are the phylogenetic positions of Cycloneuralia, Chaetognatha, Gnathostomulida, Cycliophora, and Micrognathozoa.
- The marine Cycliophora is the most recently described phylum in the animal kingdom.
Origin
Modern Latin (plural), from Greek kuklios 'circular' + pherein 'to bear'.