Ctenophore, << TEHN uh fawr, >> is a small transparent sea animal that lives in all the oceans of the world. Ctenophores are also called comb jellies and sea walnuts. The body of a ctenophore may be shaped like a ball, a thimble, or a belt. It looks somewhat like a jellyfish. The size of most species (kinds) varies from that of a pea to a thimble. One group of species, called Venus’s-girdle, is shaped like a belt and may grow more than 3 feet (91 centimeters) long.
The word ctenophore means a comb bearer. The animal gets this name from the eight bands of comblike organs on the sides of its body. The combs are made of groups of cilia (tiny hairlike structures). Ctenophores move slowly through the water by beating these cilia. In some species, the combs give off flashes of light.
