Brachiopoda. Brachiopoda A phylum of marine invertebrates – the lamp shells. They live in shallow waters, attached to a firm substratum by means of a flexible stalk (peduncle), and are protected by a bivalved shell consisting of dorsal and ventral valves.
Brachiopods (from the Greek words meaning “arm” and “foot”)are commonly known as lamp shells because they resemble early Roman oil lamps. Brachiopods occur in all oceans. Although no longer numerous, they were once one of the most abundant forms of life.
