Category:Deuterostomes

For the cell biology protein structure, see Deuterosome. Deuterostomes (taxonomic term: Deuterostomia; meaning "second mouth" in Greek)[1][2] constitute a superphylum of animals. It is a sister clade of Protostomia, with which it forms the Nephrozoa clade.

Deuterostomia is a subtaxon of the Bilateria branch of the subkingdom Eumetazoa, within Animalia, and are distinguished from protostomes by their deuterostomic embryonic development; in deuterostomes, the first opening (the blastopore) becomes the anus, while in protostomes, it becomes the mouth. (There are some occurrences of deuterostomy among protostomes.)[3]

Deuterostomes are also known as enterocoelomates because their coelom develops through enterocoely.