Comprehensive Description

"Lampocteis cruentiventer, which was first collected in 1979 off southern California and later collected and studied in detail from 1991 to 1999 in Monterey Bay. This ctenophore differs from all previously described lobate ctenophores in three major ways:(1) its remarkable stomodaeum surmounted by capacious paragastric canals with diverticula, (2) the unusual notches that almost create a hole through the animal, and (3) the blindly ending meridional canals. Because of these distinctive features, we feel justified in erecting a new family, the Lampoctenidae, for this species. Several other features (the large pigmented stomodaeum, the large diverticulate paragastric canals and the well-developed, strongly iridescent comb plates) distinguish this species." (Harbison, Matsumoto, Robison, 2001.)