Xenacoelomorpha
| Xenacoelomorpha | |
|---|---|
| Xenoturbella japonica, a xenacoelomorph member (xenoturbellids) | |
| Proporus sp., another xenacoelomorph member (acoelomorphs) | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Subkingdom: | Eumetazoa |
| Clade: | ParaHoxozoa |
| Clade: | Bilateria |
| Phylum: | Xenacoelomorpha Philippe et al. 2011 |
| Subphyla | |
Xenacoelomorpha (/ˌzɛnəˌsɛloʊˈmɔːrfə/) is a small phylum of bilaterian invertebrate animals, consisting of two sister groups: xenoturbellids and acoelomorphs. This new phylum was named in February 2011 and suggested based on morphological synapomorphies (physical appearances shared by the animals in the clade), which was then confirmed by phylogenomic analyses of molecular data (similarities in the DNA of the animals within the clade).