94 G Canadian Arctic Expedition, 1913-1918 



Actinauge verrillii McMurrich. 



Actinauge verrillii McMuRRiCH, op. cit., p. 1-4, pi. XXX; Figs. 86-89; PI. 

 XXXI; Figs. 90-92; PL XXXV; Fig. 121, 1893, (Structure). 



Actinauge nodosa (pars) VERRILL, Bulletin Mus. Comp. Zool., Vol XI, p. 50, 

 PL VI, figs. 7, 8, 8a, 1883; Ann. Report U.S. Comm. Fish and Fisheries 

 for 1883, pp. 514 (12); 534 (32); PL V, fig. 20, 1885. 



Actinauge verrillii WHITEAVES, op. cit., p. 38, 1901. HARGTTT, Anthozoa of 

 Woods Hole Region, p. 249, 1914. 



Plate XIX; Fig. 1. Plate XXVII; Fig. 2, (anatomy). Plate XXX; Fig. 2. 



The most common adult form in expansion has the body more or less 

 cylindrical, varying to hour-glass shape. The base may be broad and flat 

 often much broader than the body, and adherent to stones and shells; it may 

 closely clasp cylindrical worm-tubes, branches of gorgonidae, etc., or more often 

 it may be deeply concave and bulbous, and enclose a mass of sand and mud. 

 (PL XIX, Fig. 1). Specimens with these different styles of base may all occur 

 in the same locality, without other corresponding differences. 



The column is usually nearly covered with hard, prominent, and persistent 

 verrucae, arranged in pretty regular vertical rows, the upper ones becoming 

 larger and more prominent, often with a hard sharp tip, the lower ones gradually 

 diminishing and disappearing close to the base. Usually there are 12 larger 

 rounded ones in a transverse row, below the capitulum. In very large examples 

 the lower part of the body is usually nearly smooth and naked, with a firm, 

 cartilaginous texture, due to the thick mesogloea, but higher up there will usually 

 be some conical or rounded verrucse or small tubercles, on some of which the 

 brownish epidermal coating is still retained. 



The tentacles are not very large, moderately long and rather stout, change- 

 able, with the tips either acute or obtuse; and with a distinct swollen basal 

 lobe; in large examples they are numerous, up to 120 or more, forming several 

 rows. In smaller specimens often 72 or 96. Plate XXX, Fig. 2. 



When preserved, the upper part of the column is generally strongly involuted 

 and the tentacles and part of the capitulum are concealed. In this condition 

 the capitulum is covered with convergent, strongly raised folds, or crest-like 

 ridges, larger and smaller ones irregularly alternating. These crests correspond 

 in number to the tentacles, and run up to their outer bases; the larger ones, 

 which correspond to the inner or primary tentacles, can be traced inward 

 between the outer tentacles until they run to and coalesce with the external 

 basal portion of the inner ones. (Plate XXX, Fig. 2). The upper portion of the 

 column, covered by these ridges and crests, is differentiated from the part below 

 it, for its integument is soft and lubricous, and usually decidedly red or pink 

 in colour during life; and this portion, like the tentacles, secretes an abundant 

 mucous, which is strongly phosphorescent. A row of rounded warts or larger 

 tubercles, or a more or less marked, transverse, verrucose ridge or "parapet ' 

 separates this upper or submarginal capitulum from the general surface of the 

 column, which is firmer, more or less verrucose, and generally wholly or partly 

 covered with a dirty, brownish, tough, and firmly adherent coating, which is 

 strongly wrinkled in contracted specimens, and sometimes has hydroids, bryozoa, 

 and even such shells as Anomia adhering to its surface. This covering is often 

 partially, and sometimes wholly wanting, especially in very large examples. 

 It often persists on the larger upper verrucae, even when absent elsewhere, 

 and in some rather exceptional specimens it is much thickened on these warts, 

 or even forms for them hard conical tips, sometimes affecting thus only the 

 uppermost row, but at other times several series of them. 



The colour of the body, in life, is usually dull pale red, flesh colour or sal- 

 mon, where it is not concealed by the dirty, dark brown epidermis; the verruca 



