Pleurobrachia globosa Moser, 1903

Purushothaman, Jasmine, Siddique, Alfisa, Bhowal, Aishee & Chandra, Kailash, 2020, Diversity of Ctenophores in the Sundarban Mangroves, Northern Indian Ocean, Records of the Zoological Survey of India 120 (2), pp. 133-140 : 135-136

1. Pleurobrachia globosa Moser, 1903

1903. Pleurobrachia globosa Moser, Die Ctenophoren der Siboga Exped. XII. E.J. Brill, Leiden , 32 pp.

Material examined: WN-CTEN-001; 5 specimens, Matla Channel : Surface water, 10 m (21°46' 10.7" N, 88° 37' 44.8" E and 21°48' 28.1" N, 88° 34' 04.8" E) ; Thakuran Channel : Surface water, 20 m (21°42' 18.1" N, 88° 30' 51.0" E) , Surface water, 10 m (21°39' 18" N, 88° 28' 13.9" E) ; Jagadhhal Creek : Surface water and 10 m (21°37' 35.9" N, 88° 26' 15.4" E) , Sundarbans , West Bengal, India ,

19.1.2018, 20.1.2018, 21.1.2018. Coll. Jasmine P. and Party.

Description: The body is elliptical and globular with dimensions 7-12 mm in height and 5-10 mm in width ( Figure 2b ). About 15-30 cilia present on each comb plate (which run from the oral to aboral pole). Presence of a pair of tentacles. The tentacular sheath is yellowish in colour. Each tentacle possesses further branches and subbranches. The comb plates start from the aboral pole and end almost near the oral pole, traversing the entire length of the body ( Annandale & Kemp, 1915; Moser, 1903).

Diagnosis: Specimens range from 7-10 mm in diameter, length 12-16 mm from oral to aboral end, with comb plate arising from the oral pole and ending at the aboral pole, each of which possess about 20-30 cilia on them ( Figure 2b ).

Distribution: East Coast of India (Ennur Backwater, Chilka Lake) ( Annandale & Kemp, 1915), Sundarbans ( Choudhury et al., 1987), Arabian Sea (Coast of Goa) ( Goswami, 1982). Elsewhere: Bermuda and New York waters ( Grice & Hart, 1962).

Figures

Figure 2. Collected ctenophore species of Sundarbans, Bay of Bengal, Northern Indian Ocean. (a) Pleurobrachia pileus; (b) Pleurobrachia globosa; (c) Beroe gracilis; (d) Beroe ovata.