Table 1.

Comparison of main muscular systems in Bryozoa

	Phylactolaemata	Cyclostomata	Gymnolaemata	Reference
funiculus	smooth, several longitudinal fibers	smooth, several longitudinal fibers	present in some species; if present smooth, longitudinal fibers	31, 75,this study
digestive tract	almost exclusively circular and striated, only intestine smooth	myoepithelial pharynx and esophagus with dense muscles, otherwise mostly smooth dispersed fibers	myoepithelial pharynx and esophagus with dense muscles, otherwise mostly smooth dispersed fibers	28; 73, this study
lophophoral base	continuous to tentacle muscles	separate abfrontal and frontal muscles	separate abfrontal muscles	28, 31, 75, this study
tentacle muscle	two longitudinal bands, smooth or striated	two longit. bands, striated; sometimes two abfrontal bands	two longit. bands, striated	31, 73, 75, this study
tentacle sheath	circ. +/or only longitudinal musc.	longitudinal musculature	longitudinal musculature	31, 73, 75, this study
body wall	orthogonal mesh of circular + longitudinal fibers	circular to diagonal muscles in membranous sac	transverse parietal muscles	18, 28, 71, this study
apertural/orificial muscles	radially arranged	radially arranged	few bundles, often bilateral symmetry	28, 75, this study