Lampocteis cruentiventer gen. nov., sp nov: A new mesopelagic lobate ctenophore, representing the type of a new family (Class Tentaculata, Order Lobata, Family Lampoctenidae, fam, nov.)

This paper describes a new genus and species of mesopelagic ctenophore in t he Order Lobata, Lampocteis cruentiver, which was first collected in 1979 o ff southern California and later collected and studied in detail from 1991 to 1999 in Monterey Bay. This ctenophore differs from all previously descri bed lobate ctenophores in two major ways: (1) all of the meridional canals have blind aboral endings, and (2) the body is penetrated by a deep notch l ocated between the adjacent subtentacular comb rows at the level of the inf undibulum. Because of these distinctive features, we feel justified in erec ting a new family, the Lampoctenidae, for this species. Several other featu res (the large pigmented stomodaeum, the large diverticulate paragastric ca nals and the well-developed strongly iridescent comb plates) distinguish th is species. Based on the discovery oft. cruentiventer, we have tentatively revised the diagnoses of the families Bolinopsidae and Eurhamphaeidae to ta ke into account the spatial relationships of the adradial and meridional ca nals. We provisionally recognize the following families in the Order Lobata as valid: Bathocyroidae, Bolinopsidae, Eurhamphaeidae, Lampoctenidae, Leuc otheidae, and Ocyropsidae.