Malacostegina
| Malacostegina Temporal range: | |
|---|---|
| Electra posidoniae on Posidonia oceanica, Sardinia, Italy | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Bryozoa |
| Class: | Gymnolaemata |
| Order: | Cheilostomatida |
| Suborder: | Malacostegina Levinsen, 1902 |
Malacostegina is a sub-order of marine, colonial bryozoans in the order Cheilostomatida. The structure of the individual zooids is generally simple, with an uncalcified, flexible frontal wall. This sub-order includes the earliest known cheilostome, in the genus Pyriporopsis (Electridae).
The genus Christinella is currently incertae sedis within the Malacostegina.