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 comm. 1998), and unidentified cestids have been found off Cairns (L. Gershwin unpublished notes 2000).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
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
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.
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
History of changes
| Published | As part of group | Action Date | Action Type | Compiler(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12-Feb-2010 | (import) |
Introduction
The Cestidae is a family of pelagic ctenophores with two genera, Cestum and Velamen; one species, Cestum veneris, has been recorded from Australian waters. These animals, extremely compressed in the tentacular plane and greatly elongated in the stomodaeal plane, have a ribbon-like appearance. Species of Cestum can exceed 2 m in length in the stomodaeal axis, whereas species of Velamen reach only 15 cm.
The substomodaeal comb rows are elongate, extending along the entire aboral edge. The subtentacular comb rows are greatly reduced. The substomodaeal meridional canals extend along the aboral edge. The subtentacular meridional canals arise under the subtentacular comb rows (Cestum) or equatorially from the interradial canals (Velamen); they extend equatorially to the lateral edges, joining the substomodaeal meridional canals. The paragastric canals extend along the oral edge, fusing with the substomodaeal and subtentacular meridional canals. Gonads are found only along the substomodaeal meridional canals, and are continuous (Cestum) or discontinuous (Velamen). A ciliated oral groove extends along the entire oral edge.
Tentacles and tentacle bulbs are present, but the homologies are unclear. There are either two primary tentacles, with numerous side branches fixed in the oral groove, or reduced primary tentacles, with numerous secondary tentacles along the oral edge. Introduction adapted from Harbison & Madin (1982).
Diagnosis
As for the order.
General References
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.
History of changes
| Published | As part of group | Action Date | Action Type | Compiler(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12-Feb-2010 | (import) |
Genus Cestum Lesueur, 1813
Distribution
States
Tasmania
Extra Distribution Information
Warmer oceans of the world.
Original AFD Distribution Data
Australian Region
- Australia
- Tasmania
Diagnosis
The narrow, aboral edge of the animal is arched and the 4 subtentacular meridional canals extend upward from their points of origin and are provided each with a very short tract of cilia. They then bend downwards and finally outwards along the middle of the sides to the ends of the body, where they join the 4 meridional subventral canals.
Diagnosis References
Mayer, A.G. 1912. Ctenophores of the Atlantic coast of North America. Publication of the Carnegie Institution of Washington 162: 1-58 [43]
History of changes
| Published | As part of group | Action Date | Action Type | Compiler(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12-Feb-2010 | (import) |
- Cestum amphitrites Mertens, H. 1833. Beobachtungen und untersuchungen über die beroeartigen akalephen. Mémoires de l'Académie Imperiale des Sciences de St. Petersbourg 6 2: 479-544, pls 1-13 [492] [junior subjective synonym of Cestum veneris Lesueur, 1813].
- Cestus pectenalis Bigelow, H.B. 1904. Medusae from the Maldive Islands. Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard 39: 245-269 [267] [junior subjective synonym of Cestum veneris Lesueur, 1813].
Taxonomic Decision for Synonymy
- Mayer, A.G. 1912. Ctenophores of the Atlantic coast of North America. Publication of the Carnegie Institution of Washington 162: 1-58 [44] (Cestum veneris of the Mediterranean and tropical Atlantic, and "Cestum amphitrites" of Mertens appears to be the same species from the tropical Pacific)
Distribution
States
Tasmania
Extra Distribution Information
Warm oceans of the world. Reported in Australia by Karen Gowlett-Holmes (unpublished notes).
Original AFD Distribution Data
Australian Region
- Australia
- Tasmania
Ecological Descriptors
Marine, pelagic, planktovore.
Diagnosis
as for genus
Common Name References
Harbison, G.R., Madin, L.P. & Swanberg, N.R. 1978. On the natural history and distribution of oceanic ctenophores. Deep-Sea Research 25: 233-256 [238] (Venus's Girdle)
History of changes
| Published | As part of group | Action Date | Action Type | Compiler(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12-Feb-2010 | (import) |