Protostomy, or more accurately Protostomia, is a term used in zoology to describe a major grouping of animals. It is primarily defined by a specific pattern of embryonic development.
Protostome Development Explained
Here's a breakdown of what characterizes protostomy, based on the reference provided:
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Embryonic Development Focus: Protostomia (/ˌproʊtəˈstoʊmi. ə/) is "the clade of animals once thought to be characterized by the formation of the organism's mouth before its anus during embryonic development." This means that, during the very early stages of development, the first opening (the blastopore) that forms in the embryo becomes the animal's mouth.
Feature Description Blastopore Fate Becomes the mouth. Original Definition Mouth forms before the anus.
