Brachiopoda [Greek, Brakhion (arm) + Greek, Podos (foot)] is a phylum belonging to the superphylum Lophozoa of the subkingdom Bilateria (bilaterally symmetrical animals) under the kingdom Animalia (animals). The members of the phylum Brachiopoda are the invertebrate animals known as the brachiopods. Brachiopods are marine and sedentary animals. Brachiopods were highly abundant during the Paleozoic Era in comparison to the present times. Brachiopoda as a group has been studied in detail by the palaeontologists. The brachiopods are also known as the lamp shells.
Some examples of brachiopods include Cyrtia, Chonetes, Magellania, Leptaena, Rhynchonetta, Strophalosia, Terebratula, Strophomena, Terebratulina, Orthis, Wilsonia, Platystrophia, Spirifer, Schizophoria, Syringothyris, Conchidium, Siphonotreta, Kutorgina, Lingula, Tremalis, Crania, Obolella, etc.