Tentaculita is an extinct class of lophophorates ranging from the Early Ordovician to the Middle Jurassic. They were suspension feeders with a near worldwide distribution. For a more thorough discussion, see Tentaculites.
The presence of perforate septa and "septal necks" has been used to argue for a cephalopod affinity, whereas the shell microstructure, notably the presence of punctae, points to a brachiopod relationship, and preserved musculature suggests a relationship with bryozoans.
Subdivisions Subclasses Chonioconarida Dacryoconarida
Orders Cornulitida Microconchida Tentaculitida Trypanoporida
Genera Anticalyptraea Lindstroemiella Tymbochoos
References
Further reading Farsan, N. M. (1994). Tentaculiten: Ontogenese, Systematik, Phylogenese, Biostratonomie und Morphologie. Abhandlungen der Senckenbergischen Naturforschenden Gesellschaft 547: 1-128.
External links The Paleobiology Database