200 ACTlNl.i: OF ALBATROSS liXl'LoliATloNS — Mf-MURltlCH. 



(;«>nii8 DISCOSOMA. 



Discosomida' lii wliich the coluiiiii is not covered with tubercles, 

 tlioUgh vernua- may be i)resent in tlu' ii|>iK'r ])art. Tentacles short and 

 liugerlike. 



35. Discosoma fuegiensis iDtmn) M.-Kdw. 



Plato :)vJCxiv. I'^iu's. 11:! and 111. 



Synonyms: Actinia fiicfiiciisls, Dann (181(1); ItiNCDxouKi /itcfileiinis^ Milnt'-l'dwards 

 (1857); Suijaslia fucfiiciixix, (io.ssi', (1800); Ccrritx fiicfiiriixis, Vcfrill (hStiS). 



No. 693. Station 2767. Lat. 40^ ();{' S. ; louij;. uS - M' W. D('i)tli. r.2 iathonis. Four 

 spccinieua. 



There is a certain amount of doubtfulness in lliis identification, since 

 it is not possible to be certain as to whether the Corni described by Dana 

 ('40) is really a Piscosomn. Milne- I<jd wards (Ttl) considered it to be 

 such, and Andres (\S3) jdaces it anions" the doubtful species of the 

 same j^enus. ISo far as the description "oes the Albatross speciniens 

 agiee fairly well, and come from a station not especially reunite from the 

 locality in which Dana's form was found and from comparatively shal- 

 low water. 



The four specimens dill'cr considerably in size. Thelaroest measures 

 2.5'^'" in height, and 4.5'"' in diameter, while the smallest is 1"" inheioht, 

 with a diaineter of 2.5'"' at the base. Tliree of the specimens are only 

 partially contracted^ the promincnl Mps of the mouth, and the outer 

 cycles of tentacles being visible, while one of the smalh'r forms is com- 

 pletely contracted, the tentacles and moutli being entirely concealed, 

 and the body having tin- form of a cone, sloi)ing gradually upward from 

 the flat base. 



The base is adherent and has attached to it fragments of a brown 

 cuticle. The nu'soghea is thin and in some specimens has been rup 

 tured, allowing tlu' mescMiteiial lilainents to protude. 



The ectoderm of the column has been macerated away for tlu^ most 

 j)art, the few fragments that persist towards liie Hmluis ha\'ing a dingy 

 white color in the ])reser\'ed specimens, and i)resenling a reticulate 

 appearance. The exposed mesoghea has a cream-white coloi-, and is 

 smooth. Tn some ol" the specimens it has been consi<lerably macerated, 

 especially towards tin- ujiper pait of thecolumn, where the mesenteries 

 are exjwsed. Owing to (he absence of e<'toderm, it is im])ossible to 

 determine whether or not verruca' may havt^ been ])resent in the upper 

 part of the column. The s])hincter nuiscle (lM.xxxiV,Fig. ll.'i) is strong 

 and is of the circumscribed endodermal varicity, resembling greatly 

 tliat (»ccurring in cerlain liunodida-. 



The margin appears to have been lol»ed. The tentacles are numerous 

 and short, and are arrangcMl in radial series. Their ectoderm is very 

 richly sup|»lied with nematocysts. ^Pheir lojigitudinal musculature and 

 the corn'S])on(ling muscnlature of (he disc is well (le\-eloped, and is not 

 imbedded in (ln> mesoiihca. 



