What is Aplacophora?
{{taxobox | name = Aplacophora | image = Epimenia verrucosa.jpg | image_caption = ''Epimenia verrucosa'' | regnum = [[Animal]]ia | phylum = [[Mollusca]] | classis = '''Aplacophora''' | classis_authority = | subdivision_ranks = Classis | subdivision = }} The '''Aplacophora''' is a [[Class (biology)|class]] of small, deep-water, exclusively [[benthic]], shell-less [[Ocean|marine]] [[mollusc]]s. They are found in all oceans of the world. They are a small group of molluscs which have deviated from the normal molluscan form. There are approximately 320<ref>{{Cite web|title=The Aplacophora|url=https://ucmp.berkeley.edu/taxa/inverts/mollusca/aplacophora.php|access-date=2023-05-23|website=ucmp.berkeley.edu}}</ref> known species living today. They are rather [[worm]]-like and average about an inch (2.5 cms.) in length. == Description == Most live in deep water, except a few more northern species. One group bury themselves into the [[sand]] and [[mud]] of the ocean bottom where they feed on [[annelid]]s and other small invertebrates. The rest of the known aplacophorans parasitize [[hydroid]]s and other [[coral]]s.<ref>Barnes, Robert D. 1982. ''Invertebrate Zoology''. Philadelphia, PA: Holt-Saunders. p389 {{ISBN|0-03-056747-5}}.</ref> This class used to be classified as [[Holothuroidea|sea cucumber]]s in the [[echinoderm]]s. In 1987, they were officially recognized as [[mollusc]]s and given their own class. The class is [[polyphyletic]], and consists of two [[clade]]s.<ref>Giribet; Okusu A; Lindgren A.R.; Huff S.W.; Schrödl M; Nishiguchi M.K. 2006. Evidence for a clade composed of molluscs with serially repeated structures: monoplacophorans are related to chitons. PNAS '''103''': 7723–7728. doi:10.1073/pnas.0602578103. PMID 16675549. PMC 1472512. http://www.pnas.org/cgi/pmidlookup?view=long&pmid=16675549.</ref> == References == {{Reflist}} {{biology-stub}} [[Category:Molluscs]]