CLASSIFICATION OF BEROE
PHYLUM :- CTENOPHORA (Biradially symmetrical. Radiata without nematocysts. )
CLASS :- NUDA (Without tentacles)
ORDER :- BEROIDA (Conical form with wide mouth and pharynx )
GENUS :- BEROE
GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION
Beroe is found in cold sea waters.
HABIT AND HABITAT
It is abundantly found along Pacific coast, Mediterranean and Chesapeake Bay to Florida.
GENERAL CHARACTERSTICS OF BEROE
- Commonly called as Mitre jelly-fish.
- Body is conical or thimble-shaped, compressed in the lateral plane with no trace of tentacles or tentacle sheaths
- Animal is of pink colour, measuring approximately 20 cm in height.
- Rounded aboral end contains statocyst and branched papillae.
- Major parts in the body consists of aboral canals, pharyngeal canals, meridional canals and comb rows.
- Truncated oral end contains mouth.
- Comb rows extend up to the middle of the body.
- Meridional and pharyngeal canals give off along their lengths numerous branched lateral diverticulae forming a network.
- Above canals unite to form a ring canal along the mouth rim.
- There are 4 comb plates running whole length or upto half depending on species.
- Animal is voracious . feeder, swallowing crustaceans and other ctenophores even larger than itself.
IDENTIFICATION
Besides thimble shape, specimen has all above characters, hence it is Beroe.
