Branchiostoma bennetti, the mud lancelet, is a lancelet of the genus Branchiostoma endemic to the Gulf of Mexico, where it is found in the northern part.
| Branchiostoma bennetti | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Subphylum: | Cephalochordata |
| Class: | Leptocardii |
| Family: | Branchiostomatidae |
| Genus: | Branchiostoma |
| Species: | B. bennetti
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| Binomial name | |
| Branchiostoma bennetti Boschung & Gunter, 1966 [1]
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Description
editLike other lancelets in the genus Branchiostoma, B. bennetti occurs in inshore waters where it burrows into sand or muddy sand at depths down to about 12 m (40 ft). The body is laterally flattened and pointed at both ends. It has a long dorsal fin and another fin on its ventral surface, and a caudal fin at the rear end.[2] B. bennetti differs from other western Atlantic lancelets for having the longest buccal cirri among them. These cirri are further unique in this region because of their extended lateral projections.[3] It is presumed that these unique buccal cirri are an adaptation to living in a muddier habitat than other species.[3]
References
edit- ^ Nishikawa, Teruaki (2015). "Branchiostoma bennetti Boschung & Gunter, 1966". WoRMS. World Register of Marine Species. Retrieved 22 December 2016.
- ^ Felder, Darryl L. (2009). Gulf of Mexico Origin, Waters, and Biota: Biodiversity. Texas A&M University Press. pp. 1205–1207. ISBN 978-1-60344-269-5.
- ^ a b Boschung, Herbert T.; Gunter, Gordon (1966). "A New Species of Lancelet, Branchiostoma bennetti (Order Amphioxi), from Louisiana". Copeia. 1966 (3): 485–489. doi:10.2307/1441070. ISSN 0045-8511. JSTOR 1441070.
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