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Order PLATYCTENIDA Bourne, 1900


Compiler and date details

30 April 2007 - Lisa-ann Gershwin, National Marine Stinger Advisor, Surf Life Saving Australia (2007)

Introduction

The order Platyctenida contains nine genera and subgenera as currently circumscribed: the creeping Coeloplana Kowalevsky (1890), Savangia Dawydoff (1950) and Benthoplana Fricke & Plante (1971); the pelagic Ctenoplana Korotneff (1886), Planoctena Dawydoff (1936) and Diploctena Fricke & Plante (1971); the parasitic Gastrodes Korotneff (1888); the sessile Tjalfiella Mortensen (1910) and Lyrocteis Komai (1942); and Vallicula Rankin (1956) which displays a diversity of habits.

These genera were grouped by Mills (1998) as follows:
Family Ctenoplanidae Willey, 1896, including Ctenoplana, Diploctena, and Planoctena
Family Tjalfiellidae Komai, 1922, containing only Tjalfiella
Family Lyroctenidae Komai, 1942, containing only Lyrocteis
Family Savangiidae Harbison and Madin, 1982, containing only Savangia
Family Coeloplanidae Willey, 1896, including Coeloplana, Benthoplana and Vallicula

Coeloplanidae is the only family so far recorded from Australian waters.

 

Diagnosis

Aberrant ctenophores, with body solid, greatly compressed in the oral/aboral axis, oral portion everted to form a creeping sole; with two conspicuous tentacles and sheaths. Ctene rows usually greatly reduced or absent in adults, but may be present in the larva. Many species are ectocommensals.

 

History of changes

Note that this list may be incomplete for dates prior to September 2013.
Published As part of group Action Date Action Type Compiler(s)
12-Feb-2010 (import)