SAPHENIA DINEMA. 25 



Genus III. Saphenia, Eschscholtz (1839). • 



Umbrella sub-cylindrical, campanulate, or hemispheric ; ovaries four, double, 

 convoluted, lining the upper part of the cavity of a highly extensile peduncle ; 

 vessels simple, four ; margin of the umbrella with two large, and numerous very 

 small tentacula ; mouth of the peduncle four-lipped. 



I have no doubt whatsoever that the Medusa I am about to describe, is one of those 

 regarded by Eschscholtz as characteristic of his genus Saphenia, although his definition, 

 " Pedunculus apice simplex," does not apply. He founded his genus on figures and imperfect 

 descriptions ; but, as it seems to be a good group wrongly defined, I have adopted it, and 

 revised the character. 



1. Saphenia dinema (sp.), Peron (1809). 



Plate II, Fig. 4. 



Synonyms. Geryonia dinema. Peron, Ann. de Mus., p. 346 (1809). 

 DiancBa dinema. Lamarck, First Ed., p. 505 (1817). 

 Oampanella dinema. De Blainville, Man. d'Act., p. 286 (1834). 

 Saphenia dinema. Eschscholtz, Syst., p. 93 (1839). 



I have met with this species in our seas during two seasons, once near Hillswick, on the 

 western coast of Zetland (1845), and thrice on the south coast of England, in Cornwall and at 

 Portland, in 1846. It is small, being scarcely more than one fourth of an inch in length, but 

 conspicuous, owing to the colour of its ovaries and tentacles. The umbrella is cylindrical, 

 somewhat mitrate, obtuse (acute in young specimens), and smooth. It is quite transparent and 

 colourless. From the margin spring two large orange purplish tentacles, with bulbous and 

 rather large bases ; in the interspaces, and covered by a short veil, are a number of minute 

 and very short colourless tentacles, about twenty-four in all. These appear to increase with 

 age, as young specimens had fewer. The sub-umbrella is about two thirds the length of the 

 body. From its centre depends the highly contractile peduncle, which is sometimes drawn 

 out into a long tube, sometimes contracted into a short bell. In its uppermost part are lodged 

 the four reproductive glands, short, convoluted, double, distinct, of a bright purple colour 

 when adult, and when immature, tawny. The part of the peduncle below the ovaries is most 

 contractile, and is of a pale fawn colour, with four dark purple lines in the course of the 

 ovaries proceeding to the four slightly fimbriated lips bordering the orifice, and which, when 

 drawn together, give the club-like appearance that appears to have misled Eschscholtz and 

 other observers. 



Plate II, fig. 4, a and h, represent this species (enlarged), as seen from the side and from 

 above ; 4, c, is the appearance of the peduncle when contracted. 



