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Show 798 PROF. J. R. GREENE ON A RARE MEDUSA. [Dec. 16, C A R Y B D E A (Carybdea, Obelia) and M A R S U P I A L E ^ E (Marsupialis, Bursarius, Mitra, Eurybia, Cytceis, Campanella, Scyphis). He has " associated with both of them several species which have not the remotest affinity with the type." Liitken1, in a critical revision of the lower Medusae, places Carybdea at the head of his family JEginece. Burmeister2 follows him. Gegenbaur3 differs both from Lesson and Liitken. He establishes the family Charybdeidee, placing it with the higher Medusse (his Acraspeda). Fritz Miiller4 discusses the structure and classificatory value of the peculiar gastric tentacles of the higher Medusae. In a later essay5 he proposes the following arrangement. -*EGINO'DA (iEgineae, Lutk.). a. Lower. Cunina (yEgina rosea, Eschsch.); ^Egineta; Polyxenia ; JEgi-nopsis bitentaeulata. b. Higher: Charybdeidee. iEginopsislaurentii (?); iEgina(citrea) ; Charybdea (marsupialis); Tamoya; Periphylla (Ch. periphylla, Per.). The AEginoida here constitute an order of Hydromedusee, equivalent to the orders Siphonophora, Hydroida, and Acalephce (R. Leuckart, = Phanerocarpce, Eschsch.). Fritz Muller has conscientiously endeavoured to group tbe results of his own investigations with every regard to the labours of his predecessors. Agassiz (1862) more fully expresses somewhat similar opinions ir the annexed tabular view (here condensed)8. Order DISCOPHOK.E. Suborder 1. B H I Z O S T O M E J ;. Suborder 2. S E M J E O S T O M E ^. Suborder 3. H A P L O S T O M E . E . 1st Family. THALASSANTHE^E, Lesson ( = jEginidae). 2nd Family. BRANDTID.E, Ayass. Dodecabostrycha, Brandt. Quoyia, Ayass. ( = Carybdea bicolor, Q. cf G.). 3rd Family. C H A R Y B D E I D E E , Less. Charybdea, Less., after P. Sr L. ( = C. periphylla only). 4th Family. M A E S F P I A H D J , Less. Marsupialis, Less. ( = M. planci). Tamoya, Fritz Muller. T. haplonema. T. alata ( = Carybdea alata, Reynaud). Bursarius, Less, 1836 (A misprint for 1830). Chiropsalmus, Ayass. (=Tamoya quadrumana). 5thFamily. L U C E E M A R I A D J B , Johnst. 1 Nogle Bemserkninger om Medusernes systematiske Inddeling, navnlig med Hensyn sil Forbes's History of Brittish naked-eyed Medusje. Kjobenhavn Vidensk. Medd. 1850, pp. 15-35. See p. 27. 2 Zoonomische Briefe, erster Theil, p. 168 (1856). 3 Op. cit. (' Versuch '). * Op. cit. (1859). 5 Op. cit. (1862). 6 From vol. iv. of his ' Contributions to the Natural History of the United States of North America.' The ' Second Monograph ' (vols. iii. & iv.) is devoted to the Acalephs. Seeing the value and beauty of this admirably illustrated work, facile princeps among treatises on the Hydrozoa, one regrets that no living Charybdeidee were studied by the author in person. |