Phylum Ctenophora

Class Tenaculata

Class of Ctenophores with tentacles.

Phylum Ctenophora

Comb jellies, similar to jellyfish but they have a simpler life cycle and they lack nematocysts, so they capture prey with sticky cells on two long tentacles, moves around when combs of cilia beat in sequence.

comb paddle

Structure belonging to a ctenophore, which aides in swimming. There are eight rows of comb-like paddles with thousands of cilia.

What are the characteristics of the Ctenophores?

1. Diploblastic or possibly triploblastic, tissue level organization 2. Biradial symmetry 3. Gelatinous, cellular mesoglea between the epidermal and gastrodermal tissue layers 4. True muscle cells develop within the mesoglea 5. Gastrovascular cavity 6. Nervous system in the form of a nerve net 7. Adhesive structures called colloblasts 8. Eight rows of ciliary bands, called comb rows, for locomotion

statolith or apical sense organ

A calcareous particle in the statocysts of invertebrates that stimulates sensory receptors in response to gravity, so enabling balance and orientation .

colloblast

A cell that is found on the tentacles of a ctenophore and that discharges an adhesive thread, which is sticky to the touch.

cydippid larva

A free-swimming ctenophore larva having an ovoid or spherical body.

Class Nuda

Class of Ctenophores without tentacles.

bioluminescence

Light produced by organisms as a result of a chemical reaction.