Rhabdopleurida

Rhabdopleurida
Temporal range:
Rhabdopleura normani
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Phylum:
Class:
Subclass:
Order:
Rhabdopleurida
Family:
Rhabdopleuridae

Allman, 1869
Genera
  •  ?†Archaeocryptolaria Chapman, 1919
  •  ?†Haplograptus Ulrich & Ruedemann, 1931 ex Ruedemann, 1933
  •  ?†Malongitubus Hu, 2005
  •  ?†Sphenoecium Chapman & Thomas, 1936
  •  ?†Yuknessia Walcott, 1919
  • Calyxhydra Kozlowski, 1959
  • Chitinodendron Eisenack, 1937
  • Cylindrohydra Kozłowski, 1959
  • Diplohydra Kozlowski, 1949
  • Eorhabdopleura Kozlowski, 1970
  • Epigraptus Eisenack, 1941
  • Fasciculitubus Obut & Sobolevskaya, 1967
  • Graptovermis Kozlowski, 1938 ex Kozlowski, 1949
  • Haliolophus Sars, 1868
  • Idiotubus Kozłowski, 1949
  • Kystodendron Kolowski, 1959
  • Lagenohydra Kozlowski, 1959
  • Palaeokylix Eisenack, 1932
  • Palaeotuba Eisenack, 1934
  • Rhabdopleurites Kozlowski, 1967
  • Rhabdopleuroides Kozlowski, 1961
  • Rhabdotubus Bengtson & Urbanek, 1986
  • Sphenothallus Chapman, 1917 non Hall, 1847
  • Stolonodendrum Kozlowski 1938 ex Kozlowski, 1949
  • Xenotheca Eisenack, 1937
  • Rhabdopleura Allman, 1869
Synonyms
  • Order
    • Stolonoidea Kozlowski, 1938
  • Family
    • Graptovermidae Kozlowski, 1949
    • Idiotubidae Kozlowski, 1949
    • Rhabdopleuritidae Mierzejewski, 1986
    • Rhabdopleuroididae Mierzejewski, 1986
    • Stolonodendridae Bulman, 1955

Rhabdopleurida is one of three orders in the class Pterobranchia, which are small, worm-shaped animals, and the only surviving graptolites. Members belong to the hemichordates. Species in this order are sessile, colonial, connected with a stolon, living in clear water and secrete tubes called tubarium. They have a single gonad, the gill slits are absent and the collar has two tentaculated arms. Rhabdopleura is the best studied pterobranch in developmental biology.