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A Note From Dr. Campbell on Mollusc Interactions With Other Phyla

As suggested by previous messages ( on Conch-L), it depends on what criteria you use for defining phyla. If you do not allow one phylum to give rise to another, you will have fewer, for example. Various extinct forms are considered to possibly represent additional phyla. Mollusks have interactions with quite a few of the extant animal phyla (even not considering the high probability that many phyla may eat planktonic mollusk larvae or mollusks eating their larvae), and even with protists, bacteria, or plants.

If you believe the latest molecular analyses and insist that no phylum can produce another phylum, here is a list, with molluscan focus:

 

The following phyla appear relatively closely related to Mollusca:

That's 33 if I counted correctly.


Dr. David Campbell
"Old Seashells"
Biology Department
Saint Mary's College of Maryland
18952 E. Fisher Road
St. Mary's City, MD 20686-3001 USA
dcampbell@osprey.smcm.edu, 301 862-0372 Fax: 301 862-0996
"Mollusks murmured 'Morning!'. And salmon chanted 'Evening!'."-Frank Muir, Oh My Word!