Aulacoctena sp. novo?
An potentially undescribed species of deep-water orange ctenophore
Size
- Body up to 15 cm
Color & Characteristics
- Bright orange semi-tranparent body, with red stomach
- Body ovoid and slighly flattened, at times almost box-like
- Long unbranched tenacles (more then 1 m)
- Tentacles strong with highly adhesive colloblasts
- Specimen disintegrates in preservatives
Habitat
- Found between 350 & 1100m, usually below 700 m, based on 6 ROV observations
- Likely present throughout the Arctic's deep basins
Feeding
- Food is captured by the sticky tentacles
- Diet largely unknown, but the stomach contents of one specimen contained the feeding stylet (dart) from a large nemertine, probably Dinonemertes arctic
Life cycle
- Unknown
Page Author: Russ Hopcroft
Created: Feb 14, 2009
