Subfamily 3. Triplozonaria, Haeckel

Definition.—Pylonida with three concentric systems of fenestrated girdles, lying in three concentric lentelliptical faces (every system with one to three girdles lying in one lentelliptical face).

Genus 286. Amphipylonium, Haeckel, 1881, Prodromus, p. 463.

Definition.—Pylonida with trizonal lentelliptical medullary shell, surrounded by a double latticed cortical shell; inner cortical shell Pylonium-shaped, with three perfect crossed girdles; outer cortical shell only represented by a single (transverse) girdle.

The genus Amphipylonium opens the series of Triplozonaria, or of those Pylonida in which the shell is composed of three concentric systems of latticed girdles. The first (and innermost) system represents the complete trizonal medullary shell, which is probably a lentelliptical Larnacilla-shell. The first and intermediate system is formed of a complete trizonal cortical shell of the same form, but much larger (like Pylonium). The third (and outermost) system is represented by one to three latticed girdles, corresponding to the former and forming an outer or second cortical shell. In Amphipylonium (as the most simple form of the Triplozonaria) there is only developed the first (transverse) girdle of the third system. It repeats therefore the form of Amphipyle, the cortical shell of which is here double (Prodromus, 1881, p. 463).

1. Amphipylonium semilunare, n. sp.

Inner cortical shell lentelliptical, one and a half times as long as broad, with smooth surface and four semilunar gates. Transverse girdle of the outer cortical shell with two smooth semilunar wings, with convex, smooth lateral crests; each wing as broad as the transverse girdle of the inner cortical shell and twice as long as its lateral girdle.

Dimensions.—Length of the lentelliptical medullary shell 0.04, breadth 0.03; length of the inner cortical shell 0.15, breadth 0.1; length of each lateral wing of the outer cortical shell 0.3, breadth 0.1.

Habitat.—Pacific, central area, Station 271, depth 2425 fathoms.

2. Amphipylonium spinosissimum, n. sp.

Inner cortical shell lentelliptical, one and a third times as long as broad, with thorny surface and four kidney-shaped gates. Transverse girdle of the outer cortical shell very spiny, with two semilunar wings, with convex thorny lateral crests; each wing one and a half times as broad as the transverse girdle of the inner cortical shell, and one and a half times as long as its lateral girdle.

Dimensions.—Length of the lentelliptical medullary shell 0.05, breadth 0.03; length of the inner cortical shell 0.16, breadth 0.12; length of each lateral wing of the outer cortical shell 0.24, breadth 0.18.

Habitat.—Western Tropical Pacific, Station 225, depth 4475 fathoms.

3. Amphipylonium tetraceros, n. sp.

Inner cortical shell hexagonal, one and a half times as long as broad, with smooth surface and four transverse elliptical gates. Transverse girdle of the outer cortical shell smooth, with rectilinear smooth lateral crests, which are prolonged at both ends into strong conical spines (therefore four spines in the lateral plane); each wing of the same breadth as the transverse girdle of the inner cortical shell, and twice as long as its lateral girdle.

Dimensions.—Length of the hexagonal medullary shell 0.03, breadth 0.02; length of the inner cortical shell 0.12, breadth 0.08; length of each lateral wing of the outer cortical shell 0.24, breadth 0.08.

Habitat.—Northern Pacific, Station 253, depth 3125 fathoms.

4. Amphipylonium octoceros, n. sp.

Inner cortical shell quadrangular, one and a third times as long as broad, with thorny surface and four kidney-shaped gates. Transverse girdle of the outer cortical shell thorny, constricted at the equator, with concave thorny lateral crests, and with eight strong radial spines, opposite in pairs and lying in two crossed diagonal planes; each wing narrower than the transverse girdle of the inner cortical shell and twice as long as its lateral girdle.

Dimensions.—Length of the subspherical medullary shell 0.04, breadth 0.035; length of the inner cortical shell 0.14, breadth 0.11; length of each lateral wing of the outer cortical shell 0.26, breadth 0.09.

Habitat.—Southern Pacific, Station 295, depth 1500 fathoms.

Genus 267. Tetrapylonium, Haeckel, 1881, Prodromus, p. 464.

Definition.—Pylonida with trizonal lentelliptical medullary shell, surrounded by a double latticed cortical shell; inner cortical shell Pylonium-shaped, with three perfect crossed girdles; outer cortical shell represented by two crossed girdles, one (smaller) transverse and one (larger) lateral girdle.

The genus Tetrapylonium represents a further developmental stage of the foregoing Amphipylonium; whilst in this latter the outer cortical shell (or the third system of girdles) is formed only by a transverse girdle, here this is crossed by a lateral girdle. Tetrapylonium repeats therefore the typical form of Tetrapyle, but with doubled cortical shell (Prodromus, 1881, p. 464).

1. Tetrapylonium pantellipticum, n. sp.

Outer cortical shell elliptical, one and a third times as long as broad, with smooth surface and four elliptical gates. Inner cortical shell elliptical, with smooth surface and four elliptical gates which repeat the form of the four outer gates, but are of half the size. Transverse girdle broad, with five pores on the isthmus.

Dimensions.—Length (or principal axis) of the first shell (medullary shell) 0.04, breadth (or transverse axis) 0.03; length of the second (or inner cortical) shell 0.12, breadth 0.09; length of the third (or outer cortical) shell 0.18, breadth 0.14.

Habitat.—Pacific, central area, Station 274, depth 2750 fathoms.

2. Tetrapylonium reniforme, n. sp.

Outer cortical shell elliptical, one and a half times as long as broad, with thorny surface and four large kidney-shaped gates. Inner cortical shell of the same form, but one-third smaller, also with four kidney-shaped gates. Transverse girdle small, but with two pores on the isthmus.

Dimensions.—Length of the first (innermost) shell 0.03, breadth 0.02; length of the second (middle) shell 0.14, breadth 0.08; length of the third (outermost) shell 0.2, breadth 0.11.

Habitat.—Indian Ocean, Zanzibar, Pullen, depth 2200 fathoms.

3. Tetrapylonium quadrangulare, n. sp. (Pl. , fig. 15).

Outer cortical shell nearly quadrangular, one and a third times as long as broad, with four rounded corners, from which arise in the lateral plane four three-sided pyramidal radial spines, opposite in pairs in two crossed diagonal axes. Surface thorny; four gates elliptical or nearly quadrangular. Inner cortical shell more elliptical, by one half smaller, with broader transverse girdle and four kidney-shaped gates. Medullary shell nearly spherical, of half the size.

Dimensions.—Length of the first shell 0.045, breadth 0.035; length of the second shell 0.1, breadth 0.07; length of the third shell 0.16, breadth 0.11.

Habitat.—South Atlantic, off Tristan da Cunha, Station 332, depth 2200 fathoms.

4. Tetrapylonium octacanthum, n. sp.

Outer cortical shell elliptical, one and a third times as long as broad, with thorny surface, and eight long and thin radial spines arising from the corners of the four triangular gates, and lying opposite in pairs in two crossed diagonal planes. Inner cortical shell of the same shape, but two-thirds smaller, also thorny. Transverse girdle broad, with four pores on the isthmus. (This species appears to be the common Tetrapyle octacantha, with doubled cortical shell.)

Dimensions.—Length of the first shell 0.04, breadth 0.03; length of the second shell 0.16, breadth 0.12; length of the third shell 0.24, breadth 0.18.

Habitat.—Pacific, central area, Station 271, depth 2425 fathoms.

5. Tetrapylonium armatum, n. sp.

Outer cortical shell nearly quadrangular, one and a fourth times as long as broad, with very spiny surface. Between numerous smaller (simple or branched) thorns arise twelve larger radial spines, symmetrically distributed, eight wing-spines crossed in two diagonal planes (as in Tetrapylonium octacanthum) and four corner spines on the four rounded corners of the lateral plane (as in Tetrapylonium quadrangulare). Therefore this species combines the armature of both foregoing species. Four gates kidney-shaped. Inner cortical shell elliptical, smooth, three-fourths smaller.

Dimensions.—Length of the first shell 0.045, breadth 0.035; length of the second shell 0.18, breadth 0.15; length of the third shell 0.25, breadth 0.2.

Habitat.—Pacific, central area, Station 266, depth 2750 fathoms.

Genus 288. Pylozonium, n. gen.

Definition.—Pylonida with trizonal lentelliptical medullary shell, surrounded by double latticed cortical shell; inner cortical shell as well as the outer Pylonium-shaped, each with three perfect crossed girdles (transverse, lateral, and sagittal).

The genus Pylozonium is the most highly developed form of the Pylonida, as all three systems of concentric girdles here become fully developed, each system with three perfect girdles. In this genus only among all the Pylonida we find nine complete latticed girdles, and in each of the three dimensive planes three concentric elliptical girdles. The first system forms the medullary shell, the second system the inner cortical shell, and the third system the outer cortical shell.

1. Pylozonium novemcinctum, n. sp.

Outer cortical shell lentelliptical, thorny, one and a third times as long as broad, without radial spines, with four kidney-shaped gates. Inner cortical shell of the same shape, but one-third smaller, four times as large as the lentelliptical medullary shell.

Dimensions.—Length of the medullary shell 0.04, breadth 0.03; length of the inner cortical shell 0.16, breadth 0.12; length of the outer cortical shell 0.24, breadth 0.18.

Habitat.—North Pacific, Station 253, depth 3125 fathoms.

2. Pylozonium octacanthum, n. sp. (Pl. , fig. 16).

Outer cortical shell lentelliptical, one and a third times as long as broad, with thorny surface and eight long and thin radial spines arising from the corners of the four elliptical gates, and lying opposite in pairs in two crossed diagonal planes. Inner cortical shell of the same shape but one-fourth smaller, about twice as large as the lentelliptical medullary shell.

Dimensions.—Length of the medullary shell 0.065, breadth 0.045; length of the inner cortical shell 0.18, breadth 0.12; length of the outer cortical shell 0.24, breadth 0.18.

Habitat.—North Pacific, Station 244, depth 2900 fathoms.