48 
SUMMARY OF CURRENT RESEARCHES RELATING TO 
Classification of Scyphomedusae.* — Dr. E. VanhSffen objects to 
Claus’s definition of the terms “octomeral” and “ tetrameral,” and bis 
application of them to the classification of Scyphomedusas. Claus calls 
those Medusae tetrameral which have the umbrellar margin segmented 
into four parts ; Vanhoffen calls those Medusa? tetrameral which have 
four congruent parameres. Nor is there agreement as to the use of 
the terms paramere and antimere, which Vanhoffen employs as Haeckel 
did, whilst Claus gives them new connotations. According to Vanhoffen, 
all Medusae are tetrameral and tetraradiate, being composed of four 
parameres with four radii and four planes of symmetry. He divides the 
Scyphomedusae into Catliamnata and Acathamnata, the former including 
Charybdeidae, Lucernaridae, Depastridae, and Tesseridae — all with 
“septal-knots,” solid tentacles, and simple oral tube, the latter including 
Semaeostomae and Ehizostomae — without “ septal-knots,” with hollow 
tentacles (if any), and strongly developed oral arms. 
Classification of Anthomedusae.j — Dr. E. Vanhoffen proposes the 
following classification of the Anthomedusae, which he defines as 
craspedote Medusae, the generative products of which lie in the ectoderm 
of the gastric cavity : — 
I. CoDONiDa:. Gonads not disconnected, forming a circular mantle 
around the gastric cavity. 
1. Syncorynidae (Sarsiidae). Medusae developed from Syncoryne 
and similar polyps, with a regular radially developed 
umbrella and four well-developed tentacles ; Sarsia, 
Dipurena, Corynetes. 
2. Pennariidae. Medusae developed from Pennaria with regular 
radially developed umbrella, and four rudimentary ten- 
tacles ; Globiceps. 
3. Corymorphidae. Medusae from Corymorpha and similar 
polyps, with radial or more or less irregularly developed 
bilateral umbrella, with four, two, one or no tentacles ; 
Amalthaea, Hybocodon, Euphysa, Diconodium, Ectopleura. 
II. OoEANiD^E. Gonads four or in four pairs, interradial. 
A. Ccelomerinthia. Tentacles hollow, highly contractile, with small 
endodermal cells inclosing a wide lumen. 
4. Amphineuridae. With numerous marginal lobes appearing 
like tentacular rudiments placed between a few well- 
developed tentacles ; Stomotoca. 
5. Tiaridffi. With numerous well-developed tentacles ; Dinema, 
Conis, Tiara , Turns, and Catablema. 
B. Pycnomerinthia. Tentacles solid, almost completely filled with 
large endodermal cells. 
a. Monorenemata. Tentacles simple and separate. 
6. Dendroclavidse. Sessile indicating knobs at oral margin ; 
Turritopsis. 
7. Podocorynidm. Stalked knobs, short oral tube ; Cytseis, 
Thamnitis, Cubogaster, and Dysmorphosa. 
8. Thamnostomidffi. Stalked knobs, very long oral tube ; 
Thamnostylis, Thamnostoma, and Limnorea. 
» Zool. Anzeig., xiv. (1891) pp. 244-8. f Tom cit., pp. 439-46. 
