Chaetognatha
The Chaetognatha /kiːˈtɒɡnəθə/ or chaetognaths /ˈkiːtɒɡnæθs/ (meaning bristle-jaws) are a phylum of predatory marine worms that are a major component of plankton worldwide. Commonly known as arrow worms, they are mostly nektonic; however about 20% of the known species are benthic, and can attach to algae and rocks. They are found in all marine waters, from surface tropical waters and shallow tide pools to the deep sea and polar regions. Most chaetognaths are transparent and are torpedo shaped, but some deep-sea species are orange. They range in size from 2 to 120 millimetres (0.1 to 4.7 in).
| Arrow worms Temporal range: | |
|---|---|
| Spadella cephaloptera | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Subkingdom: | Eumetazoa |
| Clade: | ParaHoxozoa |
| Clade: | Bilateria |
| Clade: | Nephrozoa |
| (unranked): | Protostomia |
| (unranked): | Spiralia |
| Clade: | Gnathifera |
| Phylum: | Chaetognatha Leuckart, 1854 |
| Class: | Sagittoidea Claus & Grobben, 1905 |
| Orders | |
Chaetognaths were first recorded by the Dutch naturalist Martinus Slabber in 1775. As of 2021, biologists recognize 133 modern species assigned to over 26 genera and eight families. Despite the limited diversity of species, the number of individuals is large.
Arrow worms are strictly related to and possibly belonging to Gnathifera, a clade of protostomes that do not belong to either Ecdysozoa or Lophotrochozoa.