What you’ll learn to do: Identify the common characteristics of superphylum Lophotrochozoa

There are five phyla in the superphylum Lophotrochozoa (also known as the crest or wheel animals): Platyhelminthes, Rotifera, Nemertea, Mollusca, and Annelida. These phyla include animals from flatworms to squids. While these may seem like very different creatures, they share characteristics that place them together in the tree of life. Let’s figure out just what makes these animals part of the same superphylum.