Calycophorae

Calycophorae
Morphology of a Calycophorae with aligned nectophores (Muggiaea atlantica)
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Cnidaria
Class:	Hydrozoa
Order:	Siphonophorae
Suborder:	Calycophorae Leuckart, 1854
Families
Abylidae L. Agassiz, 1862 Clausophyidae Totton, 1965 Diphyidae Quoy & Gaimard, 1827 Hippopodiidae Kölliker, 1853 Prayidae Kölliker, 1853 Sphaeronectidae Huxley, 1859 Tottonophyidae Pugh, Dunn & Haddock, 2018

Calycophorae is a suborder of Siphonophores alongside two other suborders Physonectae and Cystonectae.^[1] This suborder includes the giant siphonophore, (Praya dubia); one of the longest lengthwise extant creatures (40–50m). While the Physonectae have a pneumatophore (a float), nectophore (or nectosome), and a siphosome, Cystonectae lack a nectophore, and Calycophorae lack a pneumatophore.^[1] From the bell-shaped nectophores, Physonectae and Calycophorae are called Codonophores or Greek for bell-bearers.^[2] The distribution, morphology, and behaviors of Calycophorae species are vast and greatly depend on the species. Calycophoraes typically consist of two nectophores with a siphosome that have many tentacles that grow out of the siphosome.^[2] The Calycophoraes move by propelling water out of the nectophore much like how jellyfishes move. The tentacles act as fishing nets where the nematocysts on the tentacles paralyze their prey which are then later fed on. Calycophorae have three life stages, which are the larval development stage, the polygastric stage, and the eudoxid maturation stage.^[3] Each Calycophorae colony forms from one fertilized egg.^[4]