Kamptozoa is phylum of the kingdom Animala. The name translates to "bent" or "curved" animals. Kamptozoa are immobile, and live in large clusters. They are all shaped like wine glasses, and their mouth and anus are within their tentacle ring. The tentacles help direct food into their mouths, as well as pushing waste away from them. Kamptozoa are filter feeders, and they generate a mucus that traps food particles for the tentacles to move them. Their guts are U-shaped which then widen to form a stomach. Another name for Kamptozoa is Entoprocta, which translates to "anus inside," which makes sense given that it actually is on the inside. Many kamptozoans live in colonies, which puts them in the family Coloniales, and others live on their own, putting them in the family Solitaria. This phylum also closely resembles another phylum called bryozoans, which also have U-shaped guts but they do not have an anus on the outside.
- Sea Slugs (predators)
- Flatworms (predators)
- Small Microorganisms (prey)
- Algae (prey)
- Organic Particles (prey)
- Phytoplankton (prey)
- Snail (Predators)
Kamptozoan
Kamptozoa species and families:
- Barentsia ramosa (Coloniales)
- Barentsia discreta (Coloniales)
- Barentsia gracilis (Coloniales)
- Barentsia laxa (Solitaria)
- Loxokalypus socialis (Coloniales)
- Pedicellina cernua (Coloniales)
- Pedicellinopsis fruticosa (Coloniales)
- Barentsia benedeni (Solitaria)
- Loxosomatoides sirindhornae (Solitaria)
- Bowerbankia imbricata (Solitaria)
- Loxosomella nordgaardi (Solitaria)
- Loxosomella harmeri (Coloniales)