2 5 1 
Among the Antipatharia themselves Roule regards the unbranched colonies as the 
primitive genera and the branched colonies as the phylogenetically younger ones. On this point 
I am not of Roule s opinion. I am rather inclined to regard the unbranched colonies as the 
higher developed organisms, and the lack of branching as a secondarily acquired simplicity. The 
occurrence of the sixth pair of secondary mesenteries, but especially the rather well developed 
mesenteiial muscle-system with Eucirripathes and Stichopathes are a sign of higher development, 
which is found only in one species of Euantipathes and further, in course of formation, with 
some other species, which have only mesogloeal lamellae or a unilateral swelling of the 
mesenteries or nothing at all. — Since the formation of high ectodermal folds in the actino- 
phaiynx, especially ii they are supported by mesogloeal lamellae, which project far into the 
actinopharyngeal lumen, is in my opinion a sign of higher development (increase of the surface 
of the actinopharyngeal tube), the species which show this character, viz. Stichopathes variabilis 
and semiglabra , support the thesis that the unbranched genera are more highly developed. 
T. he same holds good loi the lact that mesenterial filaments along the secondary mesenteries 
are found with the unbranched species only. I he abundant pigmentation, which is found 
especially with unbranched species, as well as the typical peristomal growth of young polyps 
with Eucirripathes (and perhaps with Stichopathes ) increase the probability of my opinion. 
The genus Sibopathes is very primitive, since there is no actinopharynx, a great number 
of large deeply staining glandcells in the entire entoderm in stead of a concentration of them 
into an actinopharynx, no secondary mesenteries, very short primary mesenteries, no mesenterial 
filaments, a ver\ thin mesogloea, a very broad connecting septum between the bodywall and 
the axial sheath, and hardly any musclefibres. Without any doubt this genus represents the 
lowest developed type of the Antipatharia. 
As somewhat higher developed genera I reckon ScJnzopathes and Eabathypathes , especially 
in view ot the very slight development of their musclefibres and the lack of a mesenterial muscle- 
system, the attachment of the secondary mesenteries on the side of the bodywall only, and 
the very thin mesogloea. Higher developed are Euantipathes and Aphanipathes , where are 
found mesogloeal lamellae for mesenterial musclefibres, although these fibres themselves are 
still absent. Especially the subgenus Aphanipaihes is more highly developed, since the actino¬ 
pharynx may show longitudinal folds of the entire wall beside the numerous ectodermal folds. 
Also some Euantipathes- species already show many ectodermal folds in their actinopharynx. 
Parantipathes should be interpolated between ScJnzopathes and Euantipathes in point of 
development. 
