Among animal phyla, the Ctenophores are more complex than sponges, about as complex as cnidarians (jellyfish, sea anemones, etc.), and less complex than bilaterians (which … See more

Distribution
Ctenophores are found in most marine environments: from polar waters at −2°C to the tropics at 30°C; near coasts and in mid-ocean; from … See more

Despite their fragile, gelatinous bodies, fossils thought to represent ctenophores – apparently with no tentacles but many more comb-rows … See more

• R. S. K. Barnes, P. Calow, P. J. W. Olive, D. W. Golding, J. I. Spicer, The invertebrates – a synthesis, 3rd ed, Blackwell, 2001, ch. 3.4.3, p. 63, ISBN 0-632-04761-5 See more

For a phylum with relatively few species, ctenophores have a wide range of body plans. Coastal species need to be tough enough to withstand waves and swirling sediment particles, while some oceanic species are so fragile that it is very difficult to capture them … See more

The number of known living ctenophore species is uncertain since many of those named and formally described have turned out to be identical to species known under other scientific … See more

• Gelatinous zooplankton See more