Table 1 Comparison of main muscular systems in Bryozoa
| Â | Phylactolaemata | Cyclostomata | Gymnolaemata | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
funiculus | smooth, several longitudinal fibers | smooth, several longitudinal fibers | present in some species; if present smooth, longitudinal fibers | 31, 75,this study |
digestive tract | almost exclusively circular and striated, only intestine smooth | myoepithelial pharynx and esophagus with dense muscles, otherwise mostly smooth dispersed fibers | myoepithelial pharynx and esophagus with dense muscles, otherwise mostly smooth dispersed fibers | 28; 73, this study |
lophophoral base | continuous to tentacle muscles | separate abfrontal and frontal muscles | separate abfrontal muscles | 28, 31, 75, this study |
tentacle muscle | two longitudinal bands, smooth or striated | two longit. bands, striated; sometimes two abfrontal bands | two longit. bands, striated | 31, 73, 75, this study |
tentacle sheath | circ. +/or only longitudinal musc. | longitudinal musculature | longitudinal musculature | 31, 73, 75, this study |
body wall | orthogonal mesh of circular + longitudinal fibers | circular to diagonal muscles in membranous sac | transverse parietal muscles | 18, 28, 71, this study |
apertural/orificial muscles | radially arranged | radially arranged | few bundles, often bilateral symmetry | 28, 75, this study |