Prayidae
Encyclopedia
Prayidae is a family of marine invertebrate
Invertebrate
An invertebrate is an animal without a backbone. The group includes 97% of all animal species – all animals except those in the chordate subphylum Vertebrata .Invertebrates form a paraphyletic group...

s in the order Siphonophora
Siphonophora
Siphonophorae or Siphonophora, the siphonophores, are an order of the Hydrozoa, a class of marine invertebrates belonging to the phylum Cnidaria. They are colonial, but the colonies can superficially resemble jellyfish; although they appear to be a single organism, each specimen is actually a...

. They are colonial
Colony (biology)
In biology, a colony reference to several individual organisms of the same species living closely together, usually for mutual benefit, such as stronger defense or the ability to attack bigger prey. Some insects live only in colonies...

, but the colonies can superficially resemble jellyfish
Jellyfish
Jellyfish are free-swimming members of the phylum Cnidaria. Medusa is another word for jellyfish, and refers to any free-swimming jellyfish stages in the phylum Cnidaria...

; although they appear to be a single organism
Organism
In biology, an organism is any contiguous living system . In at least some form, all organisms are capable of response to stimuli, reproduction, growth and development, and maintenance of homoeostasis as a stable whole.An organism may either be unicellular or, as in the case of humans, comprise...

, each specimen is actually a colony of Siphonophora.

It contains the following subfamilies and genera:
  • Amphicaryoninae
    • Amphicaryon Chun, 1888
    • Maresearsia Totton, 1954
  • Nectopyramidinae
    • Nectadamas Pugh, 1992
    • Nectopyramis Bigelow, 1911
  • Prayinae
    • Craseoa Pugh & Harbison, 1987
    • Desmophyes Haeckel, 1888
    • Gymnopraia Haddock, Dunn & Pugh, 2005
    • Lilyopsis Chun, 1885
    • Mistoprayina Pugh & Harbison, 1987
    • Praya
      Praya (genus)
      Praya is a genus of marine invertebrates in the order Siphonophora. They are colonial, but the colonies can superficially resemble jellyfish; although they appear to be a single organism, each specimen is actually a colony of Siphonophora. It contains the following species:* Praya dubia * Praya...

      Quoy & Gaimard, in de Blainville, 1834
    • Prayola Carré, C. 1969
    • Rosacea Quoy & Gaimard, 1827
    • Stephanophyes Chun, 1888
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