Conica (suborder)

Conica are a cnidarian suborder of the Leptomedusae (thecate hydroids). They make up the bulk of their order; their internal relationships are not well resolved, and most of the roughly 30 families are not yet assigned to a superfamily.

Conica
Aequorea coerulescens medusa (Aequoreidae)
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Cnidaria
Class: Hydrozoa
Order: Leptothecata
Suborder: Conica
Broch, 1910
Superfamilies

Campanulinoidea (disputed)
Plumularioidea
Sertularioidea
and see text

They are named for the distinctive shape of their hypostome, the "tip" of the polyps' body where the mouth is located. As opposed to the smaller thecate suborder Proboscidoidea with their elongated hypostome, the Conica have a simple hypostome without a pregastric cavity and a shape that is generally round or conical.[1]

Well-known members of the Conica are the "air fern" (Sertilaria argentea) of the Sertulariidae which is sold dried as novelty "plants" and aquarium ornaments, and the Crystal Jelly (Aequorea victoria) of the Aequoreidae, a bioluminescent hydrozoan.

Systematics

Apart from the families assigned to the three named superfamilies, there are many Conica that are presently unassigned as to superfamily, either because their relationships and/or validity remain unknown or because they represent minor but very ancient lineages basal to the three main radiations within this order:[2]

Medusae of Tima formosa (Eirenidae)
Azerbaijani postal stamp depicting medusa of Orchistoma pileus (Orchistomatidae)

Basal and incertae sedis

Superfamily Campanulinoidea (disputed)

Superfamily Plumularioidea (4 families)

Superfamily Sertularioidea

Footnotes
  1. Schuchert (2008)
  2. Schuchert (2008), MarineSpecies.org (2008)

References


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