ACTINIARIA 



Dimensions: Specimen from Behring Sound (PI. 2 fig. 2) in contracted state: Height 3 cm, largest 

 breadth about 6 cm. Length of the tentacles 0,8 cm. — Specimen from New Foundland: largest breadth 

 7 cm, height about 3,5 cm. 



Occurrence: New Foundland (Verkriizen 1876). 

 Greenland without distinct locality. 

 Between Iceland and Faroe islands 64°07' N. ii°i2' W. 237 fms. Temp, at the bottom 



2°,5 (Ingolf-Exp. St. 4). 

 76°23'N. I5y E. 145 m (Olga-Exp. St. 41). 74°55' N. i7°3o' E. 180—135 m (Olga- 



Exp. St. 52). 

 64°53' N. io°o' E. 630 m. Temp, at the bottom — 0,69° (Michael Sars-Exp. 1900 



St. 10). 

 62°35' N. 4°4' W. 620 — 640 m. Temp, at 620 m. — o°,03 (Michael Sars-Exp. 1902 



St. 67). - 

 Norway. Finmark (Kolthoff). 



Behring Sound 67° N. 173° W. 9 — 15 fms. (Vega-Exp.). 

 Exterior aspect. The exterior of the body much recalls that of Urticina. The pedal disc is wide 

 and the length of the column in contracted state shorter than the diameter. On the column there are long- 

 itudinal lines of verrucae, which are probably always present in the upper part. Whether the verrucae are 

 developed also in the most proximal part of the column I cannot decide , as the specimens were strongly 

 contracted in this region and partly not well preserved. On most specimens the verrucae were distinct. In 

 some specimens (from the Michael Sars-Expedition and in one specimen from New Foundland the verrucae 

 were very indistinct or inconspicuous, and it is questionable if the species sometimes is devoid of verrucae, 

 a question, which is very difficult to answer, as it regards strongly contracted and badly preserved material. 

 The verrucae are commonly not as large as those of Urticina felina coriacea. A distinct fossa is present. 

 The tentacles are short, cyUndrical, all of about the same length, smooth or sometimes with shallow to rather 

 deep longitudinal furrows, and a little flattened in the apex. The arrangement of the tentacles probably 

 varies considerably in the outer cycles, as the number of the tentacles (like that of the mesenteries) is very 

 indistinct, in the inner cycles the number of 6 may be prevalent. The smallest number of tentacles was 34, 

 possibly 36, the greatest 96. The number of tentacles corresponds to that of the mesenteries or is a httle 

 smaller. The oral disc is wide. The two siphonoglyphes are broad and furnished with well-developed aboral 

 prolongations. The actinopharynx is long and has longitudinal folds in great numbers. 



Anatomical description: The ectoderm of the column is high and contains numerous mucus- 

 cells. The nematocysts of the column are smaller than those of the tentacles, in the specimen from Finmark 

 the size was 17 — 22 x 1,5 — 2 //, in the other examined specimens from four localities the size varied from 

 22 to 31 X 2 — 2,5 11. The verrucae are of the same appearance and structure as in Urticina felina coriacea 

 (compare below!). The mesogloea is thick and fibrillary with numerous, scattered, protoplasma-poor cells. 

 The endodermal circular muscles are well developed. The structure of the sphincter is rather variable. In 

 the most closely examined specimens it was of a palmate type, in two specimens of a pinnate one. In the 



