[ten-uh-fawr, -fohr, tee-nuh-] 
| any gelatinous marine invertebrate of the phylum Ctenophora; a comb jelly. |
[kohm] | any marine invertebrate of the phylum Ctenophora, comprising various nearly transparent creatures having rounded, oval, or band-shaped bodies propelled by eight iridescent appendages composed of cilia arranged like teeth on a comb. |
| cten·o·phore (těn'ə-fôr', -fōr') n. Any of various marine animals of the phylum Ctenophora, having transparent, gelatinous bodies bearing eight rows of comblike cilia used for swimming. Also called comb jelly. [From New Latin Ctenophora, phylum name : Greek kteis, kten-, comb + New Latin -phora, from neuter pl. of Greek -phoros, -phore.] cte·noph'o·ran (tĭ-nŏf'ər-ən) adj. |
| comb jelly (kōm) Pronunciation Key
See ctenophore. |
| ctenophore (těn'ə-fôr') Pronunciation Key
Any of various, mostly small marine invertebrates of the phylum Ctenophora, having transparent, gelatinous bodies bearing eight rows of comblike cilia. Ctenophores have a branched digestive tract that also has circulatory function. Most ctenophores feed on plankton and are bioluminescent, producing brilliant displays of blue or green light at night. Ctenophores are related to cnidarians but are more highly evolved because their bodies have a true mesoderm. Also called comb jelly. |
əˌfɔr