PENNATUUDA. 



In the group Pennatulea, the genus Halisceptrum Herkl. will have to be removed from the 

 family PennatulidcB to the family Virgularida; it is quite obvious that this genus is closely related 

 to the genus Virgularia itself; perhaps it might even be embodied into it (see later under Virgularia); 

 further the genera of the family Stylatulidcz show so close a resemblance to Virgularia, that they can 

 scarcely be regarded as forming a separate family ; they are certainly more closely related to the genus 

 Virgularia than this genus is to the genera Scytalium Herkl. and Pavonaria K611. ; on the other hand, 

 I should be inclined to separate these latter genera into a separate family (or, at all events, a sub- 

 family) characterized - - in contradistinction to Virgularia and the Stylatulids (with the exception of 

 Acanthoptilum] -- among other things by the fact that the sexual organs are only developed in the 

 fully formed polyps of the older wings, and that new polyps, at any rate in the younger forms, bud 

 out on the upper, older part of the rhachis; in this family Pavonaridcz mihi must further be included a 

 member of the group Spicata, viz. the genus Haliptcris K611., although its polyps are not united into 

 wings; but in most other features it shows the greatest resemblance to Pavonaria K61L, much more 

 than to Funiculina, with which it has been placed by Kolliker. The genus Svava Kor. Dan., which 

 Studer has referred to the Stylatulids, Delage & Her.ouard to their Virgularina, will have to be 

 dropped as a genus; it is only a species of the genus Virgularia; Lygus, which in Del. & Her. is 

 given as a separate genus, is synonymous with Virgularia; and Radicipcs Stearns (Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus. 

 Vol.6, 1883, p. 96, PI. VII) is no sea-pen at all, but a Gorgonid (a species of Strophogorgia Perc. Wr.); 

 the genera of Gray: Ptilclla, Phosphorclla, Crispclla (the family Pennatulina Del. & Her.), and 

 Argentella (of their Pteroeidcidince} have already, and certainly rightly, been condemned by Kolliker 

 in his monograph. Further, the genus Stachyptilum K611., in my opinion, is to be included in the 

 family Pciinatulid(B. 



In the group Spicatcc of Kolliker (= Umbellina -\- Jtincina the family Veretillincs in Del. & 

 Her.) the greatest alterations will have to be made. In the first place the whole family Protocaulid<z 

 must be done away with: two of its genera, Protocaulon K611. and Deutocaulon Marsh. & Fowl., because 

 the}- are young stages of Vtrgularia-species, Cladiscus Kor. Dan., because it is only a (wrongly inter- 

 preted) species of Virgularia, in reality identical with Svava Kor. Dan. (for further particulars see 

 under Virgularia mirabilis and V. cladiscus mihi). Consequently, all inquiry may be omitted with 

 regard to the question whether Cladisctts^ is to be included in Protoptilidce or Protocaulidce, and 

 whether Protocaulon and Dcutocaulon, as has been done by Del. & Her., may be placed under the 

 family Kophobclemnonince. 



Again, most members of the family ProtoptilidcB must be dropped as separate genera. Lygo- 

 morpha Kor. Dan. is a young form of Haliptcris (for further particulars see under H. christii}; Microp- 

 i 'Hit in K611. of Pavonaria; Lcptoptilum K611. and Trichoptiluin K611. are young forms of Funiculina (see 

 under this latter); Gunncria Kor. Dan., which was inserted not only by the authors of the genus, but 

 also by Studer and Delage & Her., is a wrongly determined Kophobelemnon (see under K. stelli- 

 fcruin}; further, the genus Scleroptilum K611. must be separated from this family; its polyps, in spite 

 of their dense provision of spicules, want a calyx, and it can only be by an oversight of Kolliker that 

 it has been placed in a family especially characterized by him as provided with a calyx. Finally we 

 have only left Protoptilum K611. and the later added Distichoptilum Verrill. These two genera, at all 



