Smittinidae
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Smittinidae Temporal range: Eocene - Recent | |
|---|---|
_cervicornis_(Pallas,_1766)_2.jpg) | |
| Smittina cervicornis | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Bryozoa |
| Class: | Gymnolaemata |
| Order: | Cheilostomatida |
| Superfamily: | Smittinoidea |
| Family: | Smittinidae Levinsen, 1909 |
| Genera | |
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See classification | |
The Smittinidae is a family within the bryozoan order Cheilostomatida. Colonies are encrusting on shells and rocks or upright bilaminar branches or sheets. The zooids generally have at least one adventitious avicularia on their frontal wall near the orifice. The frontal wall is usually covered with small pores and numerous larger pores along the margin. The ovicell, which broods the larvae internally, is double-layered with numerous pores in the outer layer, and sits quite prominently on the frontal wall of the next zooid.
