Order LOBATA Eschscholtz, 1825

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Introduction

The name Lobata was first used by Eschscholtz (1825: 741) as family Beroidae lobatae, for the genera Axia (recognised in the Calymmidae by Agassiz (1860: 292), which was subsequently synonymised with Ocyropsis by Mayer (1912: 37)), Calymma (now recognised as Ocyropsis), Mnemia (now recognised as Mnemiopsis), Eucharis (now recognised as Leucothea), Hapalia (now recognised as Bolinopsis), Sophia (fate unknown) and Callianira, which is still recognised. Eschscholtz's classification separated the lobates from the Beroidae cavae (Beroe and Neis) and the Beroidae tentaculatae (Cestum and Beroe as he understood it).

Development includes a cydippid form, flattened in the stomodaeal plane, with tentacles in the sheaths. The tentacles migrate orally as the lobes develop, the tentacle sheaths are lost, and the tentacles become reduced, surrounding the mouth and extending onto the oral lobes. This order of pelagic ctenophores contains six families, three represented in Australian waters. (From Harbison & Madin 1982).

Diagnosis

The body of these animals is compressed in the tentacular plane: it is expanded on each side of the mouth, forming a pair of large oral lobes. Tentacles various, without sheaths. The subtentacular comb rows give rise to four flaplike auricles, and are usually shorter than the substomodaeal comb rows. The meridional canals are much longer than the comb rows, and extend into the oral lobes. The paragastric canals join the subtentacular meridional canals orally; oral ends of gastrovascular canals anastomosed. The statocyst is usually deeply sunk.

Diagnosis 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. [713]

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]

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.

Eschscholtz, J.F. von 1825. Bericht über die zoologische Ausbeute der Reise von Kronstadt bis St. Peter - und Paul. Isis von Oken, Jena 16(sect. 1, pt 6): 733–738

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

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