An informal taxonomic unit that includes coleomatic metazoans which possess a specialized filter-feeding organ, the lophophore. Almost all lophophorates are marine organisms and all are suspension feeders. Lophophorates are deutersotomes and are typically considered relatively closely related to chordates and echinoderms. There are three lophophorate phyla: Phoronida, Bryozoa and Brachiopoda.