ACTINIARIA j^ 



least in two cycles. Number of tentacles to about 120. The thick-walled nematocysts in the ectoderm of 

 the pedal disc 25 — 31 (36) x 2,5 /i, those of the column 24—38 X 2—2,5 (3) ^. those of the tentacles partly 

 38 — 61 X 2,5 — 4 n, partly 22 — 29 X 2 //, those of the actinopharynx 34 — 41 x 2,5 fi. Spirocysts in the 

 column commonly 31 — ^48 x 5 ,«, sometimes larger, those in the tentacles of variable size, the largest up 

 to 67 X 7 [i, those in the actinopharynx about as those in the tentacles. Arrangement of the mesenteries 

 bilateral after the stage of 20 — 28 mesenteries. I^ongitudinal muscles of the tentacles comparatively weak, 

 radial muscles of the oral disc somewhat stronger, both of these ectodermal. I,ongitudinal muscles of the 

 mesenteries not strong, form no distinct pennons. Parieto-basilar muscles weak. 



Colour: In recently preserved state: oral disc and tentacles deep purj^hsh brown, with radiating 

 lines of paler colour on the oral disc, mouth (actinopharynx) deep brown inside, sides of body milk-white 

 with traces of orange-colour wliere the outer coat remains (Verrill). 



Dimensions: Up to 10 cm broad and 7,5 cm high in preserved state (Verrill). 



Occurrence: Da\as Strait 63°3o'N. 54°24' W. 582 fms. Temperature at the bottom 3,3° (In- 

 golf-Exp. St. 25). 



Further distribution: North-Atlantic. Northern part of U. S. A. from deep water rare, common 

 at Nova Scotia from a depth of 200 — 300 fathoms (Verrill). 



This species I have described in detail in 1918, wherefore I now only give a diagnosis of the same. 



Subtribus Nynactininae. 



Athenaria s. Abasilaria. 



The group Athenaria (Carlgren 1898), or more distinctly termed Abasilaria (Carlgren 1905), 

 differs from the more differentiated Actiniaria, Thenaria or Basilaria, through the character that the basilar 

 muscles are wanting in the former, present in the latter, and includes almost all the old groups, Actinines 

 pivotantes, proposed by Milne-Edwards 1857, ^"^^ the family Ilyanthidae established by Cxosse 1858, 

 excepting the genera which afterwards proved to belong to quite different Anthozoa, such as Sphenopus, 

 Arachnactis and Cerianthus. I am of opinion that in the system of Gosse 1858 we also find no less than four 

 families of Athenaria represented, the Edwardsiidae b}' the genus Edwardsia, the Halcampidae by Halcampa, 

 the Halcampoididae bj- Pcachia and the Ilyanthidae by Ilyanthus. Besides these famiUes I include in the 

 group the famihes lyimnactiniidae n. fam., Andwakiidae and Halcampactiidae which certainly would have 

 been referred to the Actinines pivotantes or Ih^anthidae, if they had been known at the time of the fonnatiou 

 of these groups. The diagnoses which different authors have given of these groups are namely such that 

 the}' in reality almost correspond with the character of the group which I have called Athenaria. Thus 

 Milne-Edwards characterizes his Actinines pivotantes as follows. "Especes dont le pied est tres petit 

 et le corps fort allonge", and Gosse his family Ilyanthidae in the following manner. "Corporis extremitas 

 inferior obtuse rotundata sine basi adhaerente ....". Other authors, ha\'ing used the group to about the 

 same extent, give the following diagnosis of it. "Column elongated, tapering below to a pointed or rounded 



