9 3 
Fig. 93. Parantipathes columnaris (Duch.) Brook. 
Two polyps on a ultimate branch; 
14 X- 
the Parantipathes- type. The proportion of the transversal and the sagittal axis of the polyps 
is as 3 : 1 or 4 : 1. The oral cone is in its distal and 
proximal part higher than in the middle (as is the case 
in Sibopathes). The mouth is also transversally elongated. 
The length of the tentacles is 150—225 p,; the distance 
between the lateral pairs of tentacles of two neighbour¬ 
ring polyps is 0.6 mm. 
The wormtube is composed out of colony-branches, without any additions from the 
Annelid itself. It is formed by numerous connections between the branches; these connections 
are subparallel with the stem; they have secondary connections, which are at right angles with 
the stem. In this manner a rather regular meshwork results, which however on some places 
looses its regularity. The stem is included into the wall of the tube, the diameter of which is 
0.5 cm. The meshes are covered with polyps but, in contradiction to Brook, I found these 
polyps not more crowded on the walls of the tube than on the other parts of the colony; and 
besides, all polyps were placed on the outside of the wormtube. There are several Annelids 
assembled in the lower half of the tube, while the upper half is empty. The distribution and the 
number of the polyps on the wall of the tube make it not probable that we have here a case 
of symbiosis; it gives rather the impression of a case of commensalism. — According to Brook’s 
description of more crowded polyps on the tube, it would be possible to look upon it as a 
case of symbiosis. 
The second specimen of the same station is in every respect like the other one, except 
that the shape of the slightly curved colony is cylindrical; diameter 2.5 cm.; length 14.5 cm. 
The wormtube ends at a distance of 1 cm. below the top. The branches, which act as support 
to the wormtube are directed distally upwards, but further on they are inserted at right angles 
with the stem. 
The specimen of station 262 is in a dried condition; the polyps form a lightgray 
covering of the jetblack axis. The basal plate is large and follows every irregularity of the 
underground. The first part of the stem is curved in a quadrant; the further part is slightly 
sinuous. The basal diameter is 3.5 mm.; the length of the colony is 12.5 cm. The first 2 cm. 
are unbranched, the rest is branched. On one side of the axis the length of the branches 
increases from 0.5 to 2.75 cm., to diminish only slightly further on. On the other side of the 
axis the length of the branches increases after 8 cm. to a length of max. 1.5 cm. After these 
8 cm. the stem dissolves into a densely branched crown with three 
curved principal branches, all of them branched in the same manner 
as the stem in the other specimens, except that the long branches 
are branched to an exceedingly higher degree. The wormtube is placed 
on the side of the long branches and ends at the beginning of the 
branched crown. There are many fusions between branches and branch- 
lets. — The spines (fig. 94) are arranged in 4—5 almost regular, 
longitudinal rows, without further regularity. The mutual distance of the spines varies from 
180 to 300 u.. The shape of the spines is somewhat larger than in the other specimens, 
Fig. 94. Parantipathes columnaris 
(Duch.) Brook. Spines on a smaller 
branch; 52 X- 
