CLAVATELLA PROLIFERA. 73 



C. PROLIFERA, Hincks. 



CLAVATELLA PROLIFERA, HincJcs, Ann. N. II. (3rd scr.) vii. 73, pi. vii. & viii ; 



AUman, Ann. N. II. for May 1864. 

 ELEUTIIEUIA, Krohn, in Wiegmann's Archiv, 1861, 157; Agassis, N. H. U.S. 



iv. 341. 



Plate XII. figs. 2, 2 a. 



STEM very short, supporting a single polypite, the polypary 

 smooth and delicate; POLYPITES linear-cylindrical, he- 

 coming clavate above, very extensile, the oral extremity 

 and centre of the body opake Avhite ; tentacles (in the 

 mature zoophyte) 8, with large globular tips; a patch 

 of opake white just below the capitulum, and another 

 towards the base. 



GONOZOOIDS in two opposite clusters, hemispherical, yel- 

 lowish white ; RADIATING CANALS very short and wide ; 

 PROBOSCIS funnel-shaped, opake white; MARGINAL TEN- 

 TACLES variable in number (6, 7, 8), the capitate portion 

 resembling exactly the arm of the polypite ; a dark-red 

 ocellus at the base of each tentacle. 



THE polypites of this exquisite species possess a remark- 

 able power of altering the dimensions of the body. At 

 times they are greatly elongated and attenuated, and pre- 

 sent the appearance of most delicate milk-white threads*. 

 If disturbed, they suddenly contract, and assume a flask- 

 like form. The body during extreme extension is about 

 I inch in length. 



The tentacles vary in number with age, but do not seem 

 to exceed eight, four of which are held erect and four de- 

 pressed. The capitula are large, and thickly covered with 

 thread-cells. The movements of the polypite are extremely 

 graceful ; and the extensibility both of the body and ten- 

 tacles gives it great advantages in pursuit of prey. 



During the summer and autumn months, reproductive 



* The entlodcrui is white, invested by a transparent ectoderm. 



. 



