LKI'TOMKIH'S.K TlMnlDKS, STAl KODIsrlS. 



21:5 



and adradial centripetal canals which arise from the ring-canal and end Mindly in the gelat- 

 inous substance of the bell. The remaining 16 tentacles alternate with the radial and 

 centripetal canals. All of these tentacles are exceedingly flexible and contractile; when 

 contracted they are usually coiled helically, this coiling being more or less local and usually 

 not affecting the entire length of the tentacle. When expanded, the tentacles are about 300 

 mm. long. In addition to the tentacles there are numerous cirri along the bell-margin, but no 

 cirri arise from the sides of the tentacle-bulbs. No lithocysts upon the bell-margin. 



The 4 radial-canals are straight and slender. There is a marginal ring-canal which gives 

 off 12 blindly ending, centripetal vessels, the 4 interradial ones being about two-thirds as long 

 as the bell-height, and the 8 adradial ones are only half this length. Velum well developed. 



Peduncle nearly cylindrical, flaring at its base, and 

 twice as long as depth of bell-cavity. The barrel-shaped 

 stomach is almost as long as the peduncle and bears 

 4 lancet-shaped lips with complexly folded margins. 

 These lips may be longer than the combined lengths of 

 stomach and peduncle. 



The 4 gonads are upon the lower half of the 

 peduncle on the 4 radial-canals, above the stomach. 

 I hey consist of a great number of simple and branched 

 papilliform processes on both sides of the 4 radial- 

 canals, thus forming 4 prominent, double ridges. 



The gelatinous substance of the hell is faintlv tinged 

 with blue. The radial-canals and tentacles are rose- 

 pink and there is a pink pigment-spot at base of each 

 tentacle. Stomach and lips pink-\iolet. Gonads rich 

 Indian yellow, changing in some lights to ruddy-orange. 

 I his beautiful medusa was found by Dr. Bigelow 

 in abundance in Haddummati Atoll, Maldive Islands. 

 Indian Ocean, on January 8, 1902. It appears upon 

 the surface at about 4 p. m. 



Genus STAURODISCUS Haeckel, 1879. 



Staurodisfus, HAECKEL, 1879, Syst. der Meilusrn, p. 145. BROWNE, 1907, 

 Annals and Mag. Nat. Hist., SIT. 7, vol. 20, p. 475. 



\on Staurodixus, AGASSIZ AND MAYJR, 1X99, Bull. Mus. Comp. Zool. at 

 Harvard College, vol. 32, p. 164. 



Staurodiscua (in part), MAAS, 1904, Sit/unr her . ni.itli.-pli\ > . Kl.issr ki;l. 

 Bayer. Akad. der Wissenschaflcn, Bd. ^4, p. 440. 



This genus was founded by Haeckel, 1874, for 

 StnurrtJisfU) t.-timtiiurus found at the Canary Islands 

 and off the Honda coast. 



FK;. 108. Timoides agassizit, after BIL'''"'A, 

 in Bull. Museum Comp. Zoo], at 

 Harvard College. 



(.1 NFRIC CHAKACT1 KS. 



Thaumantiadae with 4 radial-canals, each Diving 

 rise to 2 side branches which end blindly. Tin- uonads 

 are upon the 4 principal radial-canals and their side branches. There may or may not be 

 marginal sense-clubs between the tentacles. Development unknown. 



Staurodiscus is closely related to Cannot a, but in duniiotn the side branches of the radial- 

 canals fuse with the circular vessel, whereas in Staurodiscus they end blindly. Maas, 1404, 

 considers Staurodiscus to be the young of ('./niiinin. and believes that the side branches 

 of the radial-canals eventually fuse with the ring-canal. I have seen hundreds of medus;e of 

 Staurodiscus ti-tniituurus, evidently mature, but have never found the side branches fused with 

 the ring-canal, ('.unnotn doubtless passes through a "Staurodiscus stage," but on the other 

 hand there appear to be medusae which do not attain to the C.nnnntii condition anil must be 

 called Staurodiscus. "Staurodiscus" mgrifans Agassi/ and Mayer should be called C 



