Moontanman Posted December 13, 2013 Posted December 13, 2013 Ctenophores, it would now seem, are the most basal of all living animals according to genetic analysis. Sponges have long been considered the most basal or closest living representative of the base of the animal tree. Sponges which lack a nervous system or muscles would appear to have descended from animals that had those traits instead of being animals that never had them. Ctenophores are predators that eat plankton and swim with cilia, have smooth muscles and a nervous system would appear to be more advanced than sponges but apparently this is not true. Details here... http://www.the-scientist.com//?articles.view/articleNo/38619/title/A-New-Basal-Animal/
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