A great number of families and genera are referred to this group,
amongst which may be mentioned specially--(1) _Agalmidae_, containing
the genera _Stephanomia_, _Agalma_, _Anthemodes_, _Halistemma_, &c.;
(2) _Apolemidae_, with the genus _Apolemia_ and its allies; (3)
_Forskaliidae_, with _Forskalia_ and allied forms; (4)
_Physophoridae_, for _Physophora_ (fig. 73) and other genera, (5)
_Anthophysidae_, for _Anthophysa_, _Athorybia_, &c.; and lastly the
two families (6) _Rhodalidae_ and (7) _Stephalidae_ (fig. 74),
constituting the group Auronectae of Haeckel. The Auronectae are
peculiar deep-sea forms, little known except from Haeckel's
descriptions, in which the large pneumatophore has a peculiar duct,
termed the aurophore, placed on its lower side in the midst of a
circle of swimming-bells.
IV. CYSTOPHORIDA (_Cystonectae_, Haeckel). With a very large
pneumatophore not divided into chambers, but without nectocalyces or
bracts. Two sections can be distinguished, the Rhizophysina, with long
tubular coenosarc-bearing ordinate cormidia, and Physalina, with compact
coenosarc-bearing scattered cormidia.
A type of the Rhizophysina is the genus _Rhizophysa_. The Physalina
comprise the families _Physalidae_ and _Epibulidae_, of which the
types are _Physalia_ (figs. 74, 75) and _Epibulia_, respectively.
_Physalia_, known commonly as the Portuguese man-of-war, is remarkable
for its great size, its brilliant colours, and its terrible stinging
powers.
BIBLIOGRAPHY.--In addition to the works cited below, see the general
works cited in the article HYDROZOA, in some of which very full
bibliographies will be found.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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