Step 1: Understanding Echinoderm development.
- Echinoderms are marine invertebrates including starfish, sea urchins, and sea cucumbers.
- Their larvae undergo indirect development with planktonic stages.
Step 2: Concept of ancestral larva.
- Dipleurula is a hypothetical, bilateral, ciliated larva proposed as the ancestor of all echinoderms.
- It represents the basic larval body plan from which different echinoderm larvae evolved.
Step 3: Comparison with other larvae.
- Pentacrinoid: a larval form of crinoids.
- Bipinnaria: larval stage of starfish, derived from Dipleurula.
- Echinopluteus: larval form of echinoids (sea urchins), derived.
Step 4: Significance of Dipleurula.
- Shows bilateral symmetry; adult echinoderms are pentaradially symmetrical.
- Provides evolutionary link for larval forms across classes.
Step 5: Conclusion.
Hence, Dipleurula is considered the ancestor of all echinoderm larvae.