Lauterborn '94; Shevyakov '86.

This form, which resembles _Coleps_ rather closely, was placed as a
separate genus by R. S. Bergh. The skeletal parts consist of five
zones of needles composed of an organized substance and embedded in
the cortical plasm, the last zone coming to a point at the posterior
end. The needles have lateral processes, which give a latticed
appearance to the casing. The cilia are long, with a specialized
crown of still longer ones at the oral end; they arise outside of the
skeletal elements and do not pass between them, as in _Coleps_.


KEY TO MARINE GENERA OF TRACHELINIDÆ.

Diagnostic characters: Body bilateral, or asymmetrical by local
prolongations; usually compressed or flattened laterally, the left
side more convex than the right. The essential feature is the
position and character of the mouth. This is either a long slit
extending from the anterior end well down the ventral surface, or the
posterior part only of a ventral furrow remains open as a round or
elongate mouth some distance from the anterior end. The entire mouth
region of the body is usually drawn out into an elongate tapering
proboscis which is generally curved dorsally at the extremity.
An oesophagus is short or absent altogether; when present it is
supported by a stiff buccal armature. Cilia are uniform about entire
body or limited to the flat right side. Food is swallowed.

1. a. Proboscis easily distinguished 2
from the main body