Superphylum (Noun)
Meaning
(biology) a taxonomic group ranking between a phylum and below a class or subclass.
Classification
Nouns denoting groupings of people or objects.
Examples
- The classification of the organism was revised to place it within the superphylum Ecdysozoa, which includes arthropods and nematodes.
- The superphylum Lophotrochozoa is thought to have originated over 600 million years ago, during the Neoproterozoic era.
- Molecular analysis revealed that the species belonged to the superphylum Platyzoa, a group of flatworms and related organisms.
- The superphylum Deuterostomia is characterized by the development of the anus from the blastopore, a primitive opening in the embryo.
- Phylogenetic studies have shown that the superphylum Chordata is closely related to the superphylum Hemichordata, which includes acorn worms and pterobranchs.