Conica (suborder)
Conica are a cnidarian suborder of the Leptomedusae. They make up the bulk of their order; their internal relationships are not well resolved, and most of the roughly 30 families are not yet assigned to a superfamily.
They are named for the distinctive shape of their hypostome, the "tip" of the polyps' body where the mouth is located. As opposed to the smaller thecate suborder Proboscidoidea with their elongated hypostome, the Conica have a simple hypostome without a pregastric cavity and a shape that is generally round or conical.
Well-known members of the Conica are the "air fern" of the Sertulariidae which is sold dried as novelty "plants" and aquarium ornaments, and the Crystal Jelly of the Aequoreidae, a bioluminescent hydrozoan.
Systematics
Apart from the families assigned to the three named superfamilies, there are many Conica that are presently unassigned as to superfamily, either because their relationships and/or validity remain unknown or because they represent minor but very ancient lineages basal to the three main radiations within this order:Basal and incertae sedis
- Family Aequoreidae
- Family Barcinidae
- Family Clathrozoellidae
- Family Clathrozoidae Stechow, 1921
- Family Dipleurosomatidae
- Family Eirenidae
- Family Haleciidae
- Family Lafoeidae
- Family Laodiceidae
- Family Lovenellidae
- Family Malagazziidae
- Family Melicertidae
- Family Mitrocomidae Haeckel, 1879
- Family Octocannoidae
- Family Orchistomatidae
- Family Phialellidae
- Family Sugiuridae
- Family Syntheciidae
- Family Teclaiidae
- Family Tiarannidae
- Family Tiaropsidae Boero, Bouillon & Danovaro, 1987
- Family Zygophylaxidae
- Family Blackfordiidae
- Family Calycellidae
- Family Campanulinidae
- Family Lineolariidae
Superfamily Sertularioidea
- Family Sertulariidae Fleming, 1828
- Family Thyroscyphidae