OLogy Cards > Brachiopods

Brachiopods

What looks like an oyster, snacks on tiny ocean animals, and has lived in Earth's oceans for over 545 million years? It's the brachiopods! These creatures are still around today. And they are sometimes confused with other shelled animals, like clams, because they look so much alike. One of the biggest mass extinctions of all time killed off most species of Brachiopods 250 million years ago.

Stats

Stumper

Brachiopods spend most of their time:

buried deep in the sand

hanging out on the ocean floor

competing in swim meets with oysters and clams

Correct!

Brachiopods are the couch potatoes of the ocean. They spend most of their time in one place on the ocean floor while waiting for a small edible marine creature to pass by.

Stumper

Brachiopods attach themselves to hard surfaces with:

Elmer's Glue

potato chip clips

their pedicles

Correct!

A pedicle is a fleshy "arm" that many brachiopods use to anchor themselves onto hard surfaces. It looks sort of like a tongue!

Fact or Fiction

Modern brachiopods are commonly known as lamp shells because they glow under the dark depths of the ocean.

Fact

Fiction

Brachiopods don't really glow. They are also known as lamp shells because some of them are shaped like ancient Roman oil lamps.

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