tentaculifera

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. One of three divisions of infusorians, containing the acinetiform animalcules, as distinguished from the flagellate and the ciliate; a class or order of Infusoria, characterized by the tentaculiform and usually suctorial nature of their processes, and divided into Suctoria and Actinaria. 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 fission or by external or internal gemmation. There are 6 families and 14 genera. Sometimes called Polystomata. See cut under Acinetæ.
2. An order of cephalopods, also called Tetrabranchiata: opposed to Acetabulifera. See cut under Tetrabranchiata.

GNU Webster's 1913

1. n. (Zoöl.) Same as suctoria, 1.