DYSMORPHOSA. 



163 



DYSMORPHOSA Pim. 



Dysmorphosa Phil.; in Archiv f. Nat, p. 37. 1842. 

 Podocorijiie Sars. Fauna Lit., p. 4. 1846. 



Sars lias traced the development of a Medusa from Podocoryne 

 cornea which is very closely allied to Dyfimor^ihosa fuh/urans here 

 figured. It corresjionds, in its younger stages, Avhile still attached to 

 the proboscis of its parent, to the dillerent stages of our Medusa, in the 

 number, arrangement, and order of appearance of the tentacles, so com- 

 pletely, that I have referred it to the genus Dysraorphosa of Pliilippi, 

 considered by Sars as identical with the Hydroid from which his 

 Medusa was developed. This identification is the more probable, as 

 Krohn has given lis a complement to the observations of Sars on the 

 adult Medusa?, and traced the l^udding from the proboscis in exactly 

 the same manner as it is here given. The Lizzia figured by Claparede 

 in the tenth volume of Siebold u. Kdlliker's Zeitschrift, in which he has 

 also traced the Ijudding from the proboscis, appears to be identical with 

 the Podocoryne carnea of Sars. 



Dysraorphosa fulgurans A. Agass. 



This Medusa (Fig. 259) is sometimes so abundant that the whole sea, 

 when disturbed, is brilliantly lighted by the peculiar bluish phosphores- 

 cent color which they give out. Their great number is easily accounted 

 for by their mode of reproduction and by its rapidity. Young Medusas 

 are formed by budding on the upper extremity of the proboscis (Figs. 

 259, 260), and their development takes place in the course of three or 



Fig. 259. Fig 200. 



four days ; from three to four Medusre develop at the same time ; the 

 Medusa? buds of the third generation are already forming, while the 

 second is still attached. (Fig. 2()0.) The young Dysmorphosa has at 

 first four tentacles, the middle set developing later ; there are only four 

 oral tentacles, quite long and slender, and an accumulation of ])iguient- 



Fig. 259. Adult Dysmorphosa ; majjnificd. 



Fig. 2G0. Mignificd proboscis, showing young MedusiE of the second and third generations. 



