palloryctids
Palloryctids are a group of extinct marine animals that lived during the Ordovician period, approximately 485 to 444 million years ago. They are characterized by their distinctive, segmented bodies and are believed to have been filter feeders, similar to modern-day bryozoans. The term "Palloryctids" is derived from the Greek words "pallos," meaning "sack," and "oryctos," meaning "excavation," reflecting their sack-like appearance and the burrowing lifestyle they are thought to have had.
Fossils of palloryctids have been found in various locations around the world, including North America, Europe,
Palloryctids are significant in the study of evolutionary biology because they represent one of the earliest