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What the sources say

Comb JellyPleurobrachia pileus

Every figure, record and mechanism on the Comb Jelly profile was written from a source, and this is the working table behind it: 42 claims checked word for word against these sources. The left column is what the page says. The right column is the source's own words, copied, not paraphrased; a ... marks a cut and[brackets] an insertion. Open any source and check it yourself.

Profile updated

Source
01

Neal 2005

Neal (2005). Pleurobrachia pileus Sea gooseberry. Marine Life Information Network (MarLIN), Marine Biological Association of the UK.

The page saysThe sea gooseberry is a small, oval to spherical comb jelly, up to 1-2.5 cm high
The source saysPleurobrachia pileus is a small, oval to spherical comb jelly, up to 1-2.5 cm high with two long fishing tentacles.
The page saysEight rows of fused, hair-like cilia called combs run the length of the body, beating in coordinated waves
The source saysIt swims with eight longitudinal combs, arranged in four paired rows, that give the comb jellies (ctenophores) their characteristic shimmering appearance.Note: 'fused, hair-like cilia' from the adw-ctenophora synapomorphy wording, 'eight plates of long, fused cilia, called “ctenes"'; MarLIN gives the eight longitudinal rows and the beating in waves for P. pileus itself.
The page saysFishing Lines Up to Twenty Times as Long as Its Body
The source saysThe fishing tentacles are up to 15-20 times the length of the body (up to 50 cm long), bear lateral filaments, and can be completely retracted into the body.
The page saysTwo fishing tentacles trail behind it, up to 15-20 times the length of the body and up to 50 cm long, and both can be completely retracted into the body
The source saysThe fishing tentacles are up to 15-20 times the length of the body (up to 50 cm long), bear lateral filaments, and can be completely retracted into the body.
The page saysAnything that brushes their lateral filaments sticks fast
The source saysThe fishing tentacles ... bear lateral filaments, and can be completely retracted into the body.Note: 'lateral filaments' from MarLIN; the adhesive is the colloblast claim above.
The page saysThe sea gooseberry is a carnivore, preying on zooplankton, especially copepods
The source saysPleurobrachia pileus is a carnivore, preying on zooplankton, especially copepods.
The page saysIt is common in open water all around Britain and Ireland, especially in the summer
The source saysCommon in open water all around Britain and Ireland, especially in the summer.
The page saysstaying pelagic in coastal waters, though it may sometimes become trapped in intertidal pools
The source saysPelagic in coastal waters but may sometimes become trapped in intertidal pools.
The page saysEight ciliated diffraction comb rows, and colloblasts, cells that discharge adhesive substances to aid in subduing prey
The source saysIt swims with eight longitudinal combs, arranged in four paired rowsNote: stats.superpower: 'eight' comb rows from MarLIN, diffraction from the adw-ctenophora claim above, colloblasts from the colloblast claim above.
The page saysPelagic in coastal waters, sometimes swept into intertidal rock pools
The source saysPelagic in coastal waters but may sometimes become trapped in intertidal pools.Note: stats.habitat.
The page saysZooplankton, especially copepods
The source saysPleurobrachia pileus is a carnivore, preying on zooplankton, especially copepods.Note: stats.diet.
The page saysEight rows of fused cilia beat in coordinated waves down its body
The source saysIt swims with eight longitudinal combs, arranged in four paired rows, that give the comb jellies (ctenophores) their characteristic shimmering appearance.Note: task #625; vibe.reason.

Source
02

Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan

Ctenophora (comb jellies). Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan.

The page saysIn comb jellies the beating motion of the cilia causes light diffraction, which sends waves of color change down the comb rows, not to be confused with bioluminescence
The source saysThe beating motion of their cilia causes light diffraction, which causes waves of color change down the comb rows, not to be confused with bioluminescence.Note: ADW states the mechanism at phylum scope, so the sentence names 'comb jellies'; British spelling of 'colour' throughout the body.
The page saysmany, but not all species of ctenophores are bioluminescent, producing blue-green light
The source saysMany, but not all species of ctenophores are also bioluminescent, however, producing blue-green light.Note: Same sentence appears in the body and in faq 3.
The page sayscalcium-activated photoproteins
The source saysBioluminescent ctenophores produce calcium-activated phytoproteins.Note: ADW's page text spells this 'phytoproteins'; the profile uses the standard scientific term 'photoproteins' for the same molecule.
The page saysIt was once assumed every ctenophore could
The source saysIt was once assumed that all ctenophores are bioluminescent
The page saysRecent research shows that some species are not capable of producing light, and the sea gooseberry's own genus, Pleurobrachia, is named as the example
The source saysIt was once assumed that all ctenophores are bioluminescent; however, recent research shows that some species (members of genus Pleurobrachia for example) are not capable of producing light.Note: ADW's own hedge kept: 'some species', with Pleurobrachia given as its example. The flat claim that this species cannot produce light was cut, because MarLIN's species page says of P. pileus's comb plates 'These plates are phosphorescent at night.'
The page sayscomb jelly tentacles are armed with colloblasts, cells that discharge adhesive substances to aid in subduing prey
The source saysIn species with tentacles, these structures are armed with colloblasts, cells that discharge adhesive substances to aid in subduing prey.
The page saysA Nerve Net With No Fixed Address on the Tree of Life
The source saysThe relationships of ctenophores to other metazoan phyla remain an open question, with different analyses alternately finding sister lineage to cnidarians, bilaterians, a clade containing cnidarians, placozoans, and bilaterians, or to all other animal phyla.Note: Heading; the 'no fixed address' is ADW's open question about where ctenophores sit.
The page saysThere is no brain in this phylum, just a diffuse net of neurons
The source saysThe ctenophore nervous system is a non-centralized net ... Ctenophores have a diffuse subepidermal net of non-polar neuronsNote: 'no brain' is ADW's 'non-centralized net'; scope marked as the phylum in the sentence.
The page saysMovement is coordinated by an apical sense organ containing a calcareous statolith
The source saysMovement is achieved through the use of cilial motion, coordinated by an apical sense organ containing a calcareous statolith.
The page saysa mineral grain that presses on tufts of cilia and tells the animal which way is up
The source saysDepending on the comb jellies' orientation, this statolith presses on one of four balancers (tufts of cilia supporting the statolith), causing the downside ctenes to beat more vigorously and right the animal.
The page saysThe relationships of ctenophores to other animal phyla remain an open question
The source saysThe relationships of ctenophores to other metazoan phyla remain an open question, with different analyses alternately finding sister lineage to cnidarians, bilaterians, a clade containing cnidarians, placozoans, and bilaterians, or to all other animal phyla.Note: 'animal phyla' for ADW's 'metazoan phyla'.
The page saysOther analyses have instead placed them beside cnidarians, beside bilaterians, or beside a clade containing both
The source saysThe relationships of ctenophores to other metazoan phyla remain an open question, with different analyses alternately finding sister lineage to cnidarians, bilaterians, a clade containing cnidarians, placozoans, and bilaterians, or to all other animal phyla.Note: ADW's third option is 'a clade containing cnidarians, placozoans, and bilaterians', rendered as 'a clade containing both'.
The page saysAverage ctenophore lifespans are barely recorded
The source saysWhile little information is available regarding average ctenophore lifespansNote: Blockquote lead-in.
The page saysIndividual species may have lifespans of anywhere from less than a month to three years
The source saysWhile little information is available regarding average ctenophore lifespans, individual species may have lifespans of anywhere from less than a month to three years.
The page sayspulses with rainbow diffraction along its beating ciliary comb rows, and not one flicker of it is bioluminescence
The source saysThe beating motion of their cilia causes light diffraction, which causes waves of color change down the comb rows, not to be confused with bioluminescence.Note: Tagline. The claim is about the rainbow itself, which ADW says is diffraction and 'not to be confused with bioluminescence'.
The page saysComb jellies swim using eight rows of fused, hair-like cilia called combs
The source sayseight rows of fused ciliary bands (ctenes)Note: faq 1; ADW's synapomorphy list for the phylum.
The page saysthe beating motion of their cilia causes light diffraction, which causes waves of color change down the comb rows, not to be confused with bioluminescence
The source saysThe beating motion of their cilia causes light diffraction, which causes waves of color change down the comb rows, not to be confused with bioluminescence.Note: faq 1.
The page saysComb jellies belong to the phylum Ctenophora, while true jellyfish belong to Cnidaria
The source saysPhylum Ctenophora, commonly known as comb jellies, includes 7 orders, with over 200 currently known species of biradially symmetrical, acoelomate organisms that resemble cnidarians.Note: faq 2. Jellyfish as Cnidaria: same page's glossary entry, 'Examples are cnidarians (Phylum Cnidaria, jellyfish, anemones, and corals).'
The page saysthe relationships of ctenophores to other metazoan phyla remain an open question
The source saysThe relationships of ctenophores to other metazoan phyla remain an open question, with different analyses alternately finding sister lineage to cnidarians, bilaterians, a clade containing cnidarians, placozoans, and bilaterians, or to all other animal phyla.Note: faq 2.
The page saysthe rainbow rippling down a comb jelly's comb rows is light diffraction, not a glow
The source saysThe beating motion of their cilia causes light diffraction, which causes waves of color change down the comb rows, not to be confused with bioluminescence.Note: faq 3.
The page saysA Prism, Not a Light Bulb
The source saysThe beating motion of their cilia causes light diffraction, which causes waves of color change down the comb rows, not to be confused with bioluminescence.Note: Heading; the prism is the diffraction, the light bulb the bioluminescence ADW says not to confuse it with.
The page saysOne comb jelly genus, Haeckelia, does not have colloblasts, and instead uses sequestered nematocysts from its cnidarian prey
The source saysspecies of genus Haeckelia do not have colloblasts, and instead use sequestered nematocysts from their cnidarian prey
The page saysthat beating diffracts light into ripples of colour with no glow behind them
The source saysThe beating motion of their cilia causes light diffraction, which causes waves of color change down the comb rows, not to be confused with bioluminescence.Note: task #625; vibe.reason mechanism, replacing 'sequential neon light' and 'floats through the deep'.

Source
03

Jager et al. 2010

Jager et al. (2010). New insights on ctenophore neural anatomy: Immunofluorescence study in Pleurobrachia pileus (Müller, 1776). Journal of Experimental Zoology Part B: Molecular and Developmental Evolution.

The page saysStudies of the sea gooseberry itself found two distinct nerve nets: a loose one spread through the jelly of the body, and a much more compact mesh in the outer skin layer
The source saysTwo distinct nerve nets are distinguished: a mesogleal nerve net, loosely organized throughout body mesoglea, and a much more compact “nerve net” with polygonal meshes in the ectodermal epithelium.Note: Plain-language rendering for an 11-14 audience: mesoglea is the jelly of the body, ectodermal epithelium the outer skin layer. The study is on Pleurobrachia pileus.

Source
04

Ryan 2014

Ryan (2014). Did the ctenophore nervous system evolve independently? Zoology.

The page saysRecent evidence supports the placement of ctenophores as the most distant relative to all other animals
The source saysRecent evidence supports the placement of ctenophores as the most distant relative to all other animals.
The page sayseither the common ancestor of every animal already had a nerve net like this one, or ctenophores developed theirs independently
The source saysThis revised animal tree means that either the ancestor of all animals possessed neurons (and that sponges and placozoans apparently lost them) or that ctenophores developed them independently.
The page saysHow the ctenophore nervous system relates to those of other animals is, in one researcher's words, "an unsolved, yet tractable problem."
The source saysthe relationship between the nervous system of ctenophores and other animals is an unsolved, yet tractable problem.Note: Ryan's phrase is about the nervous system specifically, not about the branching order, so the sentence says so.

Source
05

Jager et al. 2013

Jager et al. (2013). Evidence for Involvement of Wnt Signalling in Body Polarities, Cell Proliferation, and the Neuro-Sensory System in an Adult Ctenophore. PLoS ONE.

The page saysRebuilding Itself, One Tentacle at a Time
The source saysThe tentacle root (tr), enclosed in the tentacle sheath, is responsible for constant regeneration of tentacle tissues.
The page saysThe tissue at the base of each tentacle is responsible for constant regeneration of tentacle tissues
The source saysThe tentacle root (tr), enclosed in the tentacle sheath, is responsible for constant regeneration of tentacle tissues.
The page saysAcross the phylum, intense cell turnover takes place continuously in all regions of the body, and researchers credit ctenophores with high regenerative capacities
The source saysregulative processes are prevalent in the adult body of ctenophores, as indicated by their high regenerative capacities [57] , and by intense cell turnover taking place continuously in all regions of the body

How the table was made: a writer drafted the profile from these sources and logged each claim with its quote, a reviewer with nothing but this table checked every sentence said no more than its quote, and a script confirmed each quote appears word for word in the source. The method is in the site'sAbout page.