A. E. Verrill — New Actinians. 205 



Art. XXI. — Descriptions of imperfectly known and new 

 Actinians, with critical notes on other species, TV : by 

 A. E. Yerrill. Brief Contributions to Zoology from the 

 Museum of Yale College, No. LXI. 



Family Paractid^e. (Continued from p. 146.) 

 TLaphactis Caribcea, sp. nov. Figures 17, a, b, page 146. 



Base amplexicaul, surrounding completely the branch of a 

 gorgonian, the two lobes united beneath by suture. The axial 

 line of the stomodseum lies across the branch, in the type. 

 Column low, its surface covered by slightly raised elevations, 

 due apparently to wrinkles, their surfaces smooth ; a few small 

 warts are scattered near the collar, which is thickened and has 

 about 30 small, short, crowded, longitudinal ridges ; their lower 

 or outer end is largest and most raised. Tentacles numerous, 

 about 72, crowded in four or five rows, moderately stout, 

 tapered, entirely retractile. Mesenteries numerous, thin, about 

 36 pairs join the outer part of the disk, where some of the 

 smallest bear small gonads. About 12 pairs join the upper 

 part of the stomodseum, but lower down there appear to be 

 only six perfect pairs, most of which are fertile, if not all. 

 Their longitudinal muscles are broad and very thin. 



Height of column of contracted specimen, 4 mm ; longest 

 diameter ll mm . Color unknown. 



Off St. Vincent, W. Indies, 124 fath., Blake Exped., on a 

 brown gorgonian. 



Stomphia Gosse, 1859. 

 Carlgren, op. cit., p. 80, 1893. 



This genus, established for S. Churchiw alone,* has been 

 studied anatomically and histologically by Carlgren. It is very 

 nearly allied to what I consider typical Paractis.\ It has a 



* Paractis vinosa McMur., op. cit., 1894, p. 167. appears to be related to Stomphia. 

 The number of tentacles is said to be 64, but "the mesenteries are 32 in number, 

 16 being perfect" (p. 164), and " only the imperfect mesenteries are gonophoric." 

 The number of tentacles given would indicate the presence of 32 pairs of mesen- 

 teries, which Prof. McMurrich informs me is the case, an error having occurred 

 in his description. The agreement with Stomphia, is therefore close, except that 

 in our larger examples of the latter the perfect mesenteries are also gonophoric. 



Gymbactis fceculenta McMur., op. cit., 1893, p. 174, seems also related rather 

 closely to Stomphia, but has thicker mesoglcea, fewer tentacles, 12 pairs of per- 

 fect mesenteries, and a feebler sphincter than the type. 



f I do not consider Paractis excavata Hert. a true Paractis. The latter name 

 should be restricted to such plain forms as agree externally with P. impatiens 

 (Dana). The latter is the first species named by Edw. and Haime and should be 

 the type if it prove, when anatomically studied, to be a paractid. If not, then 

 some of the other named species of similar form should be taken as the type. P. 

 nivea, described below, is such a species, but cannot be taken as the type, for it 



