Phylum
문
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<speciesfyi-glossary slug="phylum"></speciesfyi-glossary>Definition
A major taxonomic rank above class and below kingdom, grouping organisms sharing a fundamental body plan.
Detailed Explanation
There are 35 recognized animal phyla — from Porifera (sponges) to Chordata (vertebrates and relatives). Phyla represent the deepest animal body-plan divisions, most of which appeared during the Cambrian Explosion. Phylum membership has conservation implications: a single representative of an otherwise extinct phylum carries irreplaceable evolutionary history. Horseshoe crabs, sole survivors of their class, exemplify such phylogenetically unique taxa.