Contributions to the Comparative Anatomy of Some British Actiniæ

Abstract

The main object of this paper is to give a comparative anatomical description of some British Anemones as well as to describe each individually; but the account is not so full as it was expected to be, as it was not possible to get all the species required.In most cases the specimens were examined externally before sections were cut. Each specimen was prepared according to the usual method used with paraffin wax, and I found during the progress of the work that borax carmine was the stain which gave the most satisfactory results.I should like to thank Miss E. de Fraine, D.Sc., Mr. F. W. Durlacher, and Mr. F. S. Wright for much assistance in the course of the work.For specimens collected and sent I am deeply indebted to Dr. E. J. Allen and his staff at Plymouth, Miss Delap, of Valentia Island, and Monsieur Louis Fage, of the Laboratoire Arago, Banyuls-sur-Mer, France.FAM. SAGARTIDÆ (Gosse, 1858).“Actiniinæ with a contractile pedal disk; body-wall smooth, or provided with verrucæ or tubercles, and usually perforated with cinclides, with or without a cuticle. Tentacles usually numerous and retractile, not very long, smooth, simple and generally entacmæous, sphincter muscle characteristically well developed and mesogloeal, occasionally diffuse endodermal, or even absent. At least six pairs of mesenteries, may be fertile or sterile. Acontia present.” The above is the definition used by Haddon in “The Actiniaria of the Torres Straits” in 1898. There has been a great deal of discussion concerning this family.