Lingula Temporal range:
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Lingula anatina, shell (top), full habitus (bottom) | |
Scientific classification ![]() | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Brachiopoda |
Class: | Lingulata |
Order: | Lingulida |
Family: | Lingulidae |
Genus: | Lingula Bruguière, 1791 |
Type species | |
Lingula anatina Lamarck, 1801[1]
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Species | |
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Synonyms | |
Ligula, Ligularius, Lingularius, Pharetra |
Lingula is a genus of brachiopods within the class Lingulata. Lingula or forms very close in appearance have existed possibly since the Cambrian. Like its relatives, it has two unadorned organo-phosphatic valves and a long fleshy stalk. Lingula lives in burrows in barren sandy coastal seafloor and feeds by filtering detritus from the water. It can be detected by a short row of three openings through which it takes in water (sides) and expels it again (middle).