It’s as easy as A, B, Sea: A for Agnatha

So we all agree the month of February can be a little slow and dreary. But, I am here to prove contrary. Sit back and relax with a Bloody Mary and have BCS entertain you (well, at least in theory). Welcome to the month of A, B, Seas! For each day in February there will be a marine science related term (including person, place, or thing) defined in only the way BCS knows how … with concise style, grace, and humor.

Mountain Brook Lamprey (Ichthyomyzon greeleyi)

Image via Wikipedia

Here we begin with the letter A.

Agnatha is a class of primitive fish including the hagfish and lampreys (pictured). Agnatha is Greek for “no jaws”. Members of this class all suction or filter feeders.

To add a little more to the lesson, here is the mnemonic device I use for remembering how to classify plants and animals: King Philip Came Over For Good Spaghetti for Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, and Species.