ASTRjEACEA. ANTHEADJi. 



THE OPELET. 



Anthea cereus. 

 Plate V. fig. 2 ; VI. fig. 9. 



Specific Character. Tentacles smooth, consimilar. 



Actinia cereus. Ellis and Solander, Zooph. 2. Rapp, Polyp. 56; 



pi. ii. fig. 3. Grube, Actin. 11. 

 sulcata. Pennant, Brit. Zool. iv. 102. 

 Ancmonia edulis. Risso, L'Eur. M(5rid. v. 289. 

 Anthea cereus. Johnston, Brit. Zooph. Ed. 1, 221. Ibid, Ed. 2, 240; 



pi. xliv. Cocks, Rep. Cornw. Pol. Soc. 1851, 10; 



pi. ii. figs. 23, 27. Gosse, Man. Mar. Zool. i. fig. 



37. Tugwell, Man. Sea-Anem. pi. vii. 

 Ancmonia sulcata. Milne-Edwards, Hist. Nat. Corall. i. 233; pi. C. i. 



fig. 1. 



GENERAL DESCRIPTION. 



Form. 



Base. Adherent to rocks, but with a very slight tenacity; dilated 

 considerably beyond the medium diameter of the column; the outline 

 generally undulate, often forming irregular lobes. 



Column. Shaped like a dice-box, or a pillar, which is much dilated 

 above and below; when expanded, the diameter usually exceeding the 

 height ; the margin greatly overlapping, crenate, with numerous rounded 

 teeth, some of which are usually seen to be rising into incipient tentacles. 

 Surface marked with numerous longitudinal furrows, which are correspond- 

 ent with the insertions of the septa, and whose upper extremities alter- 

 nate with the marginal crenations. In the ordinary state of extension, 

 there are also very numerous and minute transverse wrinkles, which cross 

 the furrows at right angles. Skin imperforate, and destitute of any 

 adherent power. Substance pulpy, or bladdery. 



Disk. Thin and membranous, greatly expanded in the form of a broad, 

 shallow saucer, with the margin lax and undulate, often revolute. Radii 

 strongly marked; two gonidial radii often more conspicuous than the 

 others. 



