ANTHOZOA 139 



Suborder 1. ANTIPATHARIA. 



Black corals. Colonial Zoantharia having the appearance of alcyona- 

 rians, with a black, horn-like central axis and a thin coonenchym in which 

 are no spicules; polyps usually with tentacles and 6 mesenteries: 3 

 families with about 100 species, most of which live in the deep sea. 



Family ANTIPATHIDAE. 



Colonies composed of long, slender stalks and branches; polyps 

 with 6 tentacles, 6 primary mesenteries, and with or without 4 or 6 

 secondary mesenteries; axis beset with spines and with a central canal: 

 about 30 species. 



1. Antipathes Pallas. Colony branching; axis with long, numer- 

 ous spines: about 15 species. 



A. larix Esper. Colony up to 1 m. high and composed of a few 

 long main stalks each bearing 6 longitudinal rows of parallel branches 

 from 3 to 10 cm. long: West Indies; Mediterranean. 



2. CiREiPATHES Blainville. Colony not branched but consisting of 

 a simple long and flexible and often spiral stalk: several species. 



C. spiralis (L.). Colony a meter or more long and spiral: West 

 Indies; Mediten-anean ; Indian Ocean. 



Suborder 2. ACTINIARIA.* 



Sea anemones. Skeleton not present; animals usually solitary; 

 often very brightly colored and of large size, occurring in all parts of 

 the world, in all depths of water; the animals usually attach themselves 

 temporarily to some more or less stationary object by the broad sucker- 

 like foot, but can usually move about slowly; some live in the sand and 

 a few are f reejswimming : about 400 species, grouped in 4 divisions. 



Key to the divisions of Aetiniaria: 



Qi Eight longitudinal ridges on the outer surface of the body. . . .1. Edwaedsiae 

 Cj At least 12 ridges or none at all. 

 6i But 2 rows of tentacles, an outer marginal and an inner. .2. Ceriantheae 

 62 Tentacles not in two rows. 



Ci Animals colonial B, Zoantheae 



C2 Animals solitary 4. Hexactiniae 



Division 1. EDWAEDSIAE. 



Solitary sea anemones, small and slender, usually imbedded in the 

 sand, the foot being pointed for burrowing; wath 14 to 48 tentacles and 



* "Report of the Actinia," etc., by J. P. McMurrich, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., Vol. 

 16, p. 119, 1893. "Synopsis of North American Invertebrates, The Aetiniaria," by 

 G. H. Parker, Am. Nat, Vol. 34, p. 747, 1900. "The Actinians of Porto Rico," 

 by .T. E. Duerden, Bull. U. S. Fish. Com., Vol. 20, p. 323, 1900. 



