Articulata (superphylum)
| Articulata | |
|---|---|
| Extinct and modern arthropods | |
| Glycera sp. (Annelida) | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | |
| (unranked): | |
| Superphylum: | Articulata H. Bruce Boudreaux, 1979 |
| Subordinate taxa | |
The Articulata is a proposed higher taxon of animals with segmented bodies, consisting of Annelida and Panarthropoda. This theory states that these groups are descended from a common segmented ancestor. The Articulata hypothesis is an alternative to the hypothesis that ecdysis (the shedding of outer cuticle) is a primitive characteristic – this would place Panarthropoda in the group Ecdysozoa.