Practice question

Lophophorates sensu lato group coelomate protostomes possessing lophophore as filter organ and U-shaped tract where mouth and anus open outside lophophore circle except entoprocts. Core assemblage includes three recognized phyla: Phoronida solitary horseshoe worms in chitinous tubes, Brachiopoda lamp shells with biconvex dorsal-ventral bivalved shell, and Bryozoa also called Ectoprocta colonial moss animals forming encrustations. Former inclusion of Entoprocta now excluded rendering concept polyphyletic, though pedagogically useful. Molecular phylogenomics places lophophorates within Lophotrochozoa, with brachiopod-phoronid clade often labeled Brachiozoa, sharing ciliated feeding strategy as possibly homologous feature among suspension feeders.