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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 clade 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.
Roman Kozłowski was a Polish palaeontologist, best known for his work on graptolites.
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.
Anisograptidae is an extinct family of graptolites. As the first planktic graptolites, they play a crucial role for understanding the transition of graptolites from ocean floor suspension feeders to ocean surface plankton during the early Ordovician.
Sigmagraptidae is an extinct family of graptolites.
Dichograptidae is an extinct family of graptolites. Fossils are found mostly from the Late Ordovician to the Early Devonian.
Pterograptidae is an extinct family of graptolites.
Isograptidae is an extinct family of graptolites.
Diplograptidae is an extinct family of graptolites.
Climacograptidae is an extinct family of graptolites.
Dicranograptidae is an extinct family of graptolites.
Normalograptidae is an extinct family of graptolites.
Neodiplograptidae is an extinct family of graptolites.
Retiolitidae is an extinct family of graptolites characterized by meshwork-like tubaria.
Dimorphograptidae is an extinct family of graptolites.
Acanthograptidae is an extinct family of graptolites.
Cysticamaridae is an extinct family of graptolites.
Dithecodendridae is an extinct family of graptolites.
Cyclograptidae is an extinct family of graptolites.
References
- ↑ Maletz, Jörg (2017). Graptolite Paleobiology. Wiley-Blackwell. ISBN 9781118515617.
- ↑ Maletz, Jörg (2014). "The classification of the Pterobranchia (Cephalodiscida and Graptolithina)". Bulletin of Geosciences. 89 (3): 477–540. doi: 10.3140/bull.geosci.1465 . ISSN 1214-1119.
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