GEPHYREA

gephyrea, the name used for several groups of worm-like animals with certain resemblances but of doubtful affinity. in the article "annelida" in the 9th edition of this encyclopaedia, w.c. mcintosh followed the accepted view in associating in this group the _echiuridae_, _sipunculidae_ and _priapulidae_. e. ray lankester, in the preface to the english translation of c. gegenbaur's _comparative anatomy_ (1878), added the _phoronidae_ to these forms. afterwards the same author (article "zoology," _ency. brit._, 9th ed.) recognized that the _phoronidae_ had other affinities, and placed the other "gephyreans" in association with the polyzoa as the two classes of a phylum _podaxonia_. in the present state of knowledge the old group _gephyrea_ is broken up into _echiuroidea_ (q.v.) or _gephyrea armata_, which are certainly annelids; the _sipunculoidea_ (q.v.) or _gephyrea achaeta_, an independent group, certainly coelomate, but of doubtful affinity; the _priapuloidea_ (q.v.), equally of doubtful affinity; and the _phoronidea_ (q.v.), which are almost certainly _hemichordata_.