NEW INTERPRETATION OF CNIDARIA 283 



ceased to be a special generation, and thus complete indi- 

 viduals. They preserve the monokaryonic state, because it is 

 during this state that syngamy, with the act of fertilization 

 can be accomplished most easily. This state has been preserved 

 throughout a mainly progressive evolution, right up to man. 

 This is the reason why this primitive state (the monokaryonic 

 state, i.e. the monocellularity) can be found recapitulated even 

 now at the beginning of the ontogenies. The second line of 

 evolution led (as early as in Protozoa !) to a transference of 

 the biochemical sexualization to the "vegetative" generation 

 w^hich we call the generation of gamonts and which had 

 preceded the earlier generation of gametes; this transference 

 took place in a somewhat different way. This is the generation 

 (later when asexual reproduction is abandoned, it is the only 

 existing generation) which produces gametes. Approximately 

 half of its individuals have developed into gynogamonts (the 

 later females), and another half into the androgamonts (the 

 subsequent males). Similarly as in the case of the primitive 

 gametes, no externally visible morphological differences had 

 been initially developed by the primitive gamonts of the two 

 sexes. Yet they attract and repel each other depending on the 

 fact whether the two gamonts that meet have the same or the 

 opposite values. 



As early as in Protozoa the formation of gametes (combined 

 with meiosis) and their differentiation, reaches its climax in 

 oogamy; this was accepted by Metazoa as the only form known 

 to them and it has been preserved throughout phyletic evolu- 

 tion, i.e. up to the formation of man. Sexualization can go even 

 further; as early as in Protozoa it was transferred to the earlier 

 vegetative generation (as the so-called agametes). This has led 

 to the sexualization of the whole life-cycle (e.g. in Cyclospora 

 caryolitica, according to Schaudinn). 



It may be useful to point in this connection to the conditions 

 that can be observed in the Gregarinida. Two individuals of 

 the generation of gamonts with the same form, yet sexually 

 (biochemically) differentiated, become united; w^e can truly 



