The cnidome of Carybdea marsupialis (Cnidaria: Cubomedusae) from the Adriatic Sea

Kinds and distribution of nematocysts of the cubomedusa Carybdea marsupialis were described by light and scanning electron microscopy. Three kinds of nematocysts were found in tentacles: heterotrichous microbasic euryteles, \ua3attened holotrichous isorhizas and subspherical holotrichous isorhizas. The microbasic euryteles of the tentacles show a characteristic detachable multilayered lancet, already described in the euryteles of Carybdea alata. A possible explanation of the function of the lancet is proposed. The pedalia and the umbrella are armoured by holotrichous isorhizas together with an unidenti\ua2ed kind of small, dropshaped nematocysts. Gastric cirri, characterized by a rough and ciliated surface, contain heterotrichous microbasic euryteles