Question

Cestum is commonly called as
A. Venus’s flower basket
B. Brain coral
C. Venus’s girdle or belt
D. Dead man’s fingers

Answer 1

Hint: The unique body structure enables this animal to swim by muscular undulation and the use of its cilia. The canals extend the length of the cord through which when disrupted, bioluminescence activates.

Complete Answer:
- Cestum veneris is a ribbon-formed comb jelly distributed in the Mediterranean Sea in the order Cestida and phylum Ctenophora.
- The slender, translucent body, a delicate coloured violet, is about 40 inches or larger and 2 inches tall. It has an excellently-developed musculature, swimming with an undulating movement.
- At the end of the body, meridional and stomodial canals become anastomosis. Statocyst has an aboral appearance

Now, let us find the solution from the option.
1) A glass sponge in the phylum Porifera is the Venus flower basket (Euplectella aspergillum). Thus option A is an incorrect option.
2) Brain coral is a general term given to different corals of the Mussidae and Merulinidae families, so named because of their typically spheroid form and grooved texture that resembles a brain. Thus the option B is an incorrect option.
 3) The body is elongated, and is laterally shaped like a cord. It has a green, violet or blue hue. There are eight Comb Swimming Plates, four of which are thin, and four others are long. Tentacles are laterally shortened, paired and wrapped in tentacular sheaths.
There are two sets of tiny tentacles along the oral margin.
Commonly named Venus Girdle.
4) The dead man's finger may relate to Xylaria polymorpha, a genus of ascomycete fungus.
Thus, the option D is an incorrect option.

Thus, the correct option is (C) Venus’s girdle or belt.

Note: The phylum Ctenophora is hermaphroditic. Stage of life: Eggs grow into planktonic juveniles called cydippides and then eventually assume the form of adults.