Order CESTIDA Gegenbaur, 1856

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Introduction

The order Cestida has been known under various names, including Callianiridae (Eschscholtz, 1929: 21), Cestoideae (Lesson, 1843: 68), and Taeniatae (L. Agassiz, 1860: 292). The current name, Cestida, was first used by Gegenbaur (1856: 196) as Cestidae, and was adopted by Fol (1869: 6), Chun (1880: 300) and Vanhöffen (1906: 6); it is applied to both the family and the order by the Principle of Coordination.

Species of the two genera, Cestum and Velamen, are found worldwide, with the greatest abundance in tropical waters. According to Harbison & Madin (1982), species of Cestum are encountered more frequently than any other ctenophore. In Australian waters, Cestum has been found off southern Tasmania (K. Gowlett-Holmes pers. comm. 1998), and unidentified cestids have been found off Cairns (L. Gershwin unpublished notes 2000).

All cestids feed similarly. The animal swims in an oral direction, propelled by the substomodaeal comb rows. The side branches (or secondary tentacles) stream aborally, covering both sides of the animal, so that the entire organism is a capture surface. Prey (usually small crustaceans) are caught by the tentacles, which contract, transferring them to the oral groove, where they are conveyed by cilia to the mouth. Development includes a cydippid stage, with gradual elongation in the stomodaeal plane until the adult form is reached. All cestids are capable of a serpent-like, wriggling escape response. Species of Velamen show a much more vigorous and coordinated response than do species of Cestum. Good accounts of the group are given by Mayer (1912) and Harbison & Madin (1982). From Harbison & Madin (1982).

Diagnosis

Ribbon-shaped ctenophore in which the tentacular axis is markedly compressed and the lobular axis correspondingly extended. The 4 subtentacular rows of combs are rudimentary and the 4 subventral rows greatly extended. Two main tentacles reduced, sheaths present; two roes of small tentacles along the oral edge.

Diagnosis References

Hyman, L. H. 1940. Phylum Ctenophora. pp. 662-696 in Hyman, L. H. (ed.). The Invertebrates. Protozoa through Ctenophora. New York : McGraw-Hill Vol. 1. [663]

Mayer, A.G. 1912. Ctenophores of the Atlantic coast of North America. Publication of the Carnegie Institution of Washington 162: 1-58 [43]

General References

Agassiz, L. 1860. Contributions to the Natural History of the United States of America. Vol. III. Pt. I. Acalephs in general. Pt. II. Ctenophoroe. Boston : Little Brown.

Chun, C. 1880. Die ctenophoren des Golfes von Neapel und der angrenzenden Meeres-abschnitte. Fauna und Flora des Golfes von Neapel 1: 1-313, 16 pls

Eschscholtz, F. 1829. System der Acalephen. Eine ausführliche Beschreibung aller medusenartigen Strahltiere. Berlin : F. Dummlert.

Fol, H. 1869. Ein Beitrag zur Anatomie und Entwickelungsgeschichte einiger Rippenquallen. Berlin : Medicinischen Facultat der Friedrich - Wilhelms - Universitat 12 pp., 4 pls.

Gegenbaur, C. 1856. Studien uber organisation und systematik der Ctenophoren. Archiv für Naturgeschichte 22(1): 163-205, pls 7-8

Harbison, G.R. & Madin, L.P. 1982. Ctenophora. 707-715, pls 68-69 in Parker, S.P. (ed.). Taxonomy and Classification of Living Organisms. New York : McGraw-Hill Vol. 1.

Lesson, R.P. 1843. Histoire Naturelle des Zoophytes. Acalèphes. Paris : Librairie encyclopédique de Roret 596 pp.

Mayer, A.G. 1912. Ctenophores of the Atlantic coast of North America. Publication of the Carnegie Institution of Washington 162: 1-58

Vanhöffen, E. 1906. Acraspedae. Nordisches Plankton 6(11): 40-64

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