Brachiopods

Brachiopods are marine animals with hard, shell-like bodies that have two hinged halves, similar to clams. Unlike mollusks, their two shells are on the top and bottom rather than side-by-side. They are filter feeders, using specialized structures called lophophores to extract tiny plankton and organic particles from the water. Brachiopods have been around for hundreds of millions of years and were especially abundant in ancient oceans, though they are less common today. They contribute to the fossil record and help scientists understand past marine environments.