Brachiopod May 2026

They use a specialized organ called a lophophore , a coil-shaped tentacle structure, to trap food, rather than gills.

They were the most common shelled macroinvertebrates in the Paleozoic era. brachiopod

They resemble ancient Roman oil lamps, especially the Terebratulida order. They use a specialized organ called a lophophore

Unlike bivalves (clams), where shells are mirror images of each other, brachiopod shells are top/bottom oriented and distinct, but each individual valve is symmetrical down the middle. a coil-shaped tentacle structure