Monoplacophoridae [Monoplacophoridae]

Description

Monoplacophoridae is a family within the order Monoplacophora, characterized by their simple, yet distinctive, single-plated shells. These marine mollusks exhibit a bilaterally symmetrical body beneath the shell, with multiple pairs of organs, such as gills and nephridia (excretory organs), repeated along their length. Found in deep-sea environments, members of Monoplacophoridae are often associated with cold, nutrient-rich waters. Their lifestyle is poorly understood, but they are believed to be involved in the benthic community as scavengers or detritivores, feeding on organic particles on or within the deep-sea sediment.