224 



THE NATURALIST IN AUSTRALIA. 



W. SanUe-Kent, Photo. 



STINGING ANEMONES, Acttnodendron akyonidium. TWO-THIRDS OF NATURAL SIZE. p. 223. 



central area or disc which surrounds the mouth was in the Lacepede Islands 

 specimens of the same pale yellowish-green as the greater mass of the tentacles, but 

 diversified with spots of brown. This character is distinctly shown in the example, 

 B, to the right of the two individuals here figured. 



Among the more remarkable representatives of the Sea Anemone or Coelenterate 

 tribe figured and described in the author's volume relating to the Queensland Great 

 Barrier system, was the species upon which the writer provisionally conferred the title 

 of Acrozoanthus australice. It belonged to that particular group of the Sea Anemones 

 which is technically known as the Zoantharia, and whose members are recognisable 

 from the circumstances that the zooids or individuals form more or less extensive 

 socially united colonies in place of separating asunder and maintaining an independent 

 existence, as happens with the ordinary Sea Anemones or Actinaria. As a rule, these 

 social Zoantharia form encrusting colony-stocks on stones, shells, or other submarine 

 objects. One noteworthy form, Palythoa, is remarkable for its constant association 

 with the Glass Rope Sponge, Hyalonema, Sieboldii, on the erect rope-like spicular 

 stalk of which organism it develops its encrusting csenosarc. The question as to 



