Dendrogrammatidae, Just, Jean, Kristensen, Reinhardt Møbjerg & Olesen, Jørgen, 2014

Just, Jean, Kristensen, Reinhardt Møbjerg & Olesen, Jørgen, 2014, Dendrogramma, New Genus, with Two New Non- Bilaterian Species from the Marine Bathyal of Southeastern Australia (Animalia, Metazoa incertae sedis) – with Similarities to Some Medusoids from the, PLoSONE 9, pp. 1-11 : 3-4

Dendrogrammatidae , new family

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:73DFB28C-EF41-48F7-B324- 09503D79B382.

Diagnosis. Multicellular, mesogleal, apparently diploblastic animal. Body divided into cylindrical stalk and broad, flat disc ( Figs 2 A, B, 3, 4, 5 A, 7). Simple round mouth opening situated in slightly depressed lobed field on rounded apex of stalk. With gastrovascular system comprising a simple tube centrally in stalk (pharynx) running from mouth to base of disc, then branching dichotomously, including first branching node ( Fig. 6 B), in disc at right angles to stalk. Epidermis composed of single layer of low, uniform cells; gastrodermis composed of single layer of elongate, vacuolated cells tapering towards narrow gastrovascular canal (pharynx) ( Fig. 2 C); epidermis of mouth-field lobes with thickened, elongate, apparently vacuolated/glandular cells ( Fig. 2 D). Dense mesoglea milky translucent when formalin fixed except for refractive sheath of spongiose mesoglea surrounding gastrodermis of gastrovascular canal in stalk (pharynx) ( Figs 2 C, 5 C). Mesoglea criss-crossed by fibrils including cylindrical sheet under epidermis ( Fig. 2 C, D).

Component genus. Dendrogramma, new genus.