Genus Cerianthus Delle Chiaje. 



Synonomy: Tubularia Spallanzani, 1784; Gmelin, 1788; Rapp, 1829. 

 Actinia (pars), Renier, 1804. 

 Moscata Renier, 1S28. 

 Moschata De Blainville, 1830. 

 Cercus (pars), Ilmoni, 1830. 

 Cerianthus Della Chiaje, 1830. 

 Saccantlius (p.p.), Milne-Edwards, 1857. 

 Bathyanthus (p.p.), Andres, 1883. 

 Dianthea (juv.), Busch, 185 1. 



Acontiferae living imbedded in mud or sand and provided with a sheath consisting of 

 felted nematocysts and mucus; mesenteries and tentacles usually numerous, so that the quartette 

 arrangement of the deuterocnemes is distinct. Type Cerianthus membranaceus (Gmelin) 1788. 



It is difficult in the present state of our knowledge to give a satisfactory definition of 

 the genus Cerianthus. The majority of the forms which have been referred to it have been so 

 imperfectly studied that it is impossible to teil whether they really present the structural charac- 

 teristics of the Acontiferae or even of the family Cerianthidae, while the characters of those that 

 have been thoroughly described are rather of specific than generic value, except where they 

 are of ordinal or family importance. Some of the forms show decided departures from the type 

 species in the number of mesenteries, the number and arrangement of the tentacles and the 

 distribution of the gonads, but until a much larger number of forms has been carefully studied 

 as to their structural peculiarities the proper limitations of the genus must remain undetermined. 

 Practically the only generic characters at present available are the mode of life and the occurrence 

 of the sheath, characters which can hardly be regarded as sufficiënt for the delimitation of the 

 genus, although they serve to separate it from the other genera of the family which at present 

 are known only in larval stages. It is probable that further observations will necessitate the 

 recognition of a number of distinct genera, all of which will present the cecological characters 

 of Cerianthus, but will difter in structure. 



As to the synonomy of the genus, it is a question whether the time honoured and 

 appropriate name of Cerianthus should not be replaced by Moschata. The type species, C. 

 membranaceus, was first recognized by Spallanzani (1784), who somewhat doubtfully referred 

 it to the genus Tubularia. Gmelin (1788) first assigned to it a specific name, termining it 

 Tubularia membranacea, ancl Rapp (1829) attributed his species solitaria to the same genus. 

 In 1804 Renier 1 ) redescribed C. membranaceus as Actinia cylindrica, and again in 1807 as 

 Actinia vestita. Stil! later, in 1828, the same author bestowed another name upon the species, 

 terming it Moscata rododattila but this, on account of its form, cannot be taken as establishing 

 the generic name. In the latinized form Moschata, however, it was accepted by de Blainville 

 in 1830. The possible of Moschata has been however, entirely overlooked, the name Cerianthus, 



1) I have not been able to consult the various original memoivs of Renier. The statements here made concerning their contents 

 are based upon the edition of his works published in 1847 by Meneghini (Renieri, S.A., Osservazioni postume di zoologica adriatica, 

 per cura di Meneghini. Venezia. 1847). 



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