tentacular (tentakular)

[=F. tentacula ire = Sp. tentacular; toria and Act in aria. These animalcules bear neither flagella nor cilia in the adult state, but take their food and move about by means of tentacles developed from the cuticular surface or from the internal parenchyma. These tentacles may be simply adhesive, or tubular and expanded at the end into a cup-like sucking-disk. An endoplast and one or more contractile vacuoles are usually conspicuous; but trichocysts are seldom if ever present. The creatures inhabit fresh or salt water, and multiply by transverse or longitudinal fi ion or by external or internal gemmation. There are 6 families and 14 genera. Sometimes called Poly stomata. See cut under Acinetæ. 2. An order of cephalopods, also called Tetra branch i at a: opposed to Ace tabu lifer a. See cut under Tetra branch i at a. - Tentaculifera act in aria, those tentaculiferous animalcules whose tentacles are merely adhesive and not suctorial, including the families Ephelotidæ and Ophryodendrida. Kent.-Tentaculifera suctoria, those tentaculiferous animalcules whose tentacles are wholly or partially suctorial. Also called Suc toria.