Tecapliora. 



' nm. 



Haleciidae. 



Hydranther sjnndelfonnige med truadformifie TcidaJ.-ler i 



en Kreds. Hijdrotlielx'er meget smaa, ahialforniige, kan 



ildre ojdage hele Hydranthen. 



Inden denne Familie, saavel som ellers i lignende Til- 

 fælde, lader jeg saadanne Arter, der har Nesleorganer, 

 danne en egen Slægt, da jeg i Anlægget af disse Organer, 

 der optræder indentbr de forskjelligste Familier, ser et 

 Skridt mod en videre Differentiering indenfor Kolonien. 



Det er meget vanskeligt at karakterisere de forskjel- 

 lige Arter indenfor Slægten Halecium, da ofte deres væ- 

 sentligste Kjendemerker ligger i Gonangiernes Bj^gning, 

 medens Kolonien forresten er lidet karakteristisk og ofte 

 varierer sterkt i sin finere Bygning. Den rent ydre Habi- 

 tus af Kolonien er det bedste Kjendemerke, naar ingen 

 Gonangier er tilstede, og ved praxis lærer man snart at 

 adskille de forskjellige Arter, medens det ofte kan være 

 vanskeligt at sige hvori forskjellen Iiestaar. 



Halecium muricatum. Ell. & Sol. 



Trophosome. Hydrocaulus sammensat; Forgrening 

 uregeluiæssig, ikke synderlig tæt, Grenene stive. Ringe 

 sees af og til ved Basis af Hydrothekerne. Disse har af 

 og til udboiet Kant, men som Regel ikke. 



Gonosome. Gonangier meget store, fladtrykt ovale 

 og besatte med Pigge, der staar ordnet i flere Rækker. 

 Gonangierne findes meget tæt stillet paa Stamme og Grene. 



Findested. St. 322, 343. 



Tecapliora. 



Fiiiu. Haleciidae. 



Hydranths ^prndle-shaped, vith filiform tenfricles arranged 



in a circle. Hydrothecae very smal, cup-sltaped, cannot 



udmit the entire liydranth. 



In this family, as in other similar cases, I allow 

 sucli species as have stinging organs to constitute a special 

 genus, as I see in the rudiment of these organs, which 

 make their appearance in the most varied families, a step 

 towards a wider differentiation in the colony. 



It is very difficult to characterise the varions species 

 in the genus Jfcdeciiim, as their most important distinguis- 

 hing features are fre(j^uently found in the structurc of the 

 gonangia, while in other respects, the colony is not very 

 cliaracteristic, and often varies considerably in its more 

 detailed structure. The purcly external habitus of the 

 colony is the best distinguishing feature, when there are 

 no gonangia; and one soon learns by practice to distingiiish 

 between the various species, while it is often difficult to 

 sav wherein the diftVrcnce lies. 



Halecium muricatum, Ell. & Sol. 



Trophosome. Hydrocaulus compound; ramification 

 irregular and not very abundant. branches stiff. Rings 

 occasionally seen at the base of the hydrothecæ. The 

 latter sometimes have an outward-curving margin, but not 

 as a r ule. 



Gonosome. Gonangia very large, flattened oval, 

 covered with spines arranged in sevcral rows. The gonangia 

 thickly cover the stem and branches. 



Locality. Stations 322 & 343. 



