Trepostomatida

Trepostomatida
Temporal range: Early Ordovician–Triassic
Esthoniopora, a trepostome from the Ordovician of Estonia (cross-section).
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Bryozoa
Class: Stenolaemata
Order: †Trepostomatida
Ulrich 1882[1]
Families

Heterotrypidae
Monticuliporidae[2]

Synonyms
  • Trepostomata
  • Trepostomida
Trepostome bryozoan with bioerosion; Bellevue Formation, Upper Ordovician (Katian), northern Kentucky.

Trepostomatida (the trepostomates) is an extinct order of bryozoans in the class Stenolaemata. Trepostome bryozoans possessed mineralized calcitic skeletons and are frequently fossilized; some of the largest known fossilized bryozoan colonies are branching trepostomes and massive dome-shaped trepostomes. [3] Trepostomes did not have many specialized zooecia beyond ordinary feeding autozooecia. The two main known heteromorphs are exilazooecia and mesozooecia, which had the purpose of maintaining regular spacing between autozooecia. [4]

  1. ^ Redescription of type specimens of bryozoan Stigmatella from the Upper Ordovician of the Toronto region, Ontario (1973). By Fritz, Madeleine A., 1896, Royal Ontario Museum
  2. ^ New Monticuliporidae (Bryozoa, Trepostomata) from the Cystoid Limestone Formation (Upper Ordovician) of the Iberian Chains (NE Spain). Jimenez-Sanchez Andrea, Geodiversitas, 2010, vol. 32, no2, pages 177-199, INIST 22896890
  3. ^ Ernst, Andrej (2020). "2- Fossil record and evolution of Bryozoa". Phylum Bryozoa. pp. 11–56.
  4. ^ Ernst, Andrej (2020). "2- Fossil record and evolution of Bryozoa". Phylum Bryozoa. p. 19.