Graptolithina is a subclass of the class Pterobranchia, the members of which are known as graptolites. These organisms are colonial animals known chiefly as fossils from the Middle Cambrian through the Lower Carboniferous (Mississippian). A possible early graptolite, Chaunograptus, is known from the Middle Cambrian. One analysis suggests that the pterobranch Rhabdopleura represents extant graptolites. Studies on the tubarium of fossil and living graptolites showed similarities in the basic fusellar construction and it is considered that the group most probably evolved from a Rhabdopleura-like ancestor.
Pterobranchia is a class of small worm-shaped animals. They belong to the Hemichordata, and live in secreted tubes on the ocean floor. Pterobranchia feed by filtering plankton out of the water with the help of cilia attached to tentacles. There are about 25 known living pterobranch species in three genera, which are Rhabdopleura, Cephalodiscus, and Atubaria. On the other hand, there are several hundred extinct genera, some of which date from the Cambrian Period.
Edward Oscar Ulrich was an invertebrate paleontologist specializing in the study of Paleozoic fossils.
Monograptus is a genus of graptolites in the Order Graptoloidea. This particular genus is the last stage of the graptoloid evolution before its extinction in the early Devonian. A characteristic of the genus includes one uniserial stipes with very elaborate thecae. This particular genus contains large number of graptolite species and may not be monophyletic.
Dendrograptus is an extinct genus of graptolites from the Lower Ordovician.
Cyrtograptus is an extinct genus of graptolites.
Dichograptus is an extinct genus of graptolites from the Ordovician.
Isograptus is an extinct genus of graptolites from the Ordovician.
Cardiograptus is a genus of graptolite, which is easily recognised even when poorly preserved by the form of the thecae.
Diplograptus was a Cambrian genus of graptolites.
Climacograptus is an Ordovician to Silurian genus of graptolites.
Graptolite Island is an island 0.8 km (0.50 mi) long in the north-east part of Fitchie Bay, lying off the south-east portion of Laurie Island in the South Orkney Islands of Antarctica. James Weddell's chart published in 1825 shows two islands in essentially this position. Existence of a single island was determined in 1903 by the Scottish National Antarctic Expedition under William Speirs Bruce, who so named it because what were thought to be graptolite fossils were found there. Later analysis showed that the fossils on Graptolite Island were merely the remains of ancient plants.
Roman Stanisław Jakub Kozłowski was a Polish palaeontologist, best known for his work on graptolites.
Rhabdopleurida is one of three orders in the class Pterobranchia, which are small, worm-shaped animals, are the only surviving graptolites. Members belong to the hemichordates. Species in this order are sessile, colonial, connected with a stolon, living in clear water and secrete tubes called tubarium. They have a single gonad, the gill slits are absent and the collar has two tentaculated arms. Rhabdopleura is the best studied pterobranch in developmental biology. Rhabdopleura is the only extant graptolite.
Rhabdopleura is a genus of colonial sessile hemichordates belonging to the Pterobranchia class. As one of the oldest living genera with a fossil record dating back to the Middle Cambrian, it is also considered to be the only living genus of graptolites.
Rhabdinopora is a genus of graptolites belonging to the family Anisograptidae. It is the earliest planktic graptolite and is presumably the ancestor of all later planktic graptoloids. Some species identified as the first planktid graptolite are:
Phyllograptus is a graptolite genus of the order Graptoloidea, in the family Phyllograptidae.
Variabiloconus is an extinct genus of conodonts.
Callograptus is a genus of graptolites.
Sven Axel Theodore Tullberg was a Swedish botanist, palaeontologist and geologist. The subgenus Svenax derived its name from a contraction of Sven Axel, the given names of Tullberg.
