Trepostomatida

Trepostomatida (the trepostomates) is an extinct order of bryozoans in the class Stenolaemata. Trepostome bryozoans possessed mineralized calcitic skeletons and are frequently fossilized; some of the largest known fossilized bryozoan colonies are branching trepostomes and massive dome-shaped trepostomes. ^[3] Trepostomes did not have many specialized zooecia beyond ordinary feeding autozooecia. The two main known heteromorphs are exilazooecia and mesozooecia, which had the purpose of maintaining regular spacing between autozooecia. ^[4]

Trepostomatida Temporal range: Early Ordovician–Triassic PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N
Esthoniopora, a trepostome from the Ordovician of Estonia (cross-section).
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Bryozoa
Class:	Stenolaemata
Order:	†Trepostomatida Ulrich 1882[1]
Families
Heterotrypidae Monticuliporidae[2]
Synonyms
Trepostomata Trepostomida

Trepostome bryozoan with bioerosion; Bellevue Formation, Upper Ordovician (Katian), northern Kentucky.

See also

• Taxonomy of commonly fossilised invertebrates