The Sertularians form another group of Hydroids closely allied to the
Campanularians, though differing from them in the arrangement of the
sterile Hydræ upon the stem. Among these one of the most numerous is
the Dynamena (_Dynamena pumila_ Lamx., Fig. 84), which hangs its
yellowish fringes from almost every sea-weed above low-water-mark. It
is especially thick and luxuriant on the fronds of our common _Fucus
vesiculosus_. The color is usually of a pale yellow, though sometimes
it is nearly white, and when first taken from the water it has a
glittering look, such as a white frost leaves on a spray of grass.
Fig. 84 represents such a cluster in natural size, while Fig. 85 shows
a piece of the stem highly magnified, with a reproductive calycle
attached to the side of a sterile Hydra stem. Many of these
Sertularian Hydroids assume the most graceful forms, hanging like long
pendent streamers from the Laminaria, or in other instances resembling
miniature trees. One of these tree-like Sertularians (_Dyphasia
rosacea_ Ag.), abundant on all rocks in sheltered places immediately
below low-water-mark, is represented in Fig. 86. In both these
Sertularians the Medusæ wither on the stock, never becoming free. The
free Medusæ of the Sertularians are only known in their adult
condition in a single genus, which is closely allied to Melicertum,
and which is produced from a Hydroid genus called Lafoea. Fig. 87
represents one of these young Sertularian Medusæ (_Lafoea cornuta_
Lamx.).
[Illustration: Fig. 86. Dyphasia rosacea, natural size.]
[Illustration: Fig. 87. Medusa of Lafoea.]
_Tubularians_.
In the Sertularian and Campanularian Hydroids we have found that the
communities consist generally of a large number of small individuals,
so small, indeed, that it is hardly possible at first glance to
distinguish the separate members of these miniature societies. Among
the Tubularians, on the contrary, the communities are usually composed
of a small number of comparatively large individuals; and indeed these
Hydroids may even grow singly, as in the case of the Hybocodon (Fig.
104), which attains several inches in height. There is also another
general feature in which the Tubularians differ from both the other
groups of Hydroids. In the latter, the horny sheath which encloses the
stem extends to form a protecting calycle around the Hydra heads. This
protecting calycle is wanting round the heads of the Tubularians,
though their stems are surrounded by a sheath.
_Sarsia_. (_Coryne mirabilis_ AG.)
[Illustration: Fig. 88. Colony of Coryne; natural size.
(_Agassiz_.)]
[Illustration: Fig. 89. Magnified head of Coryne; _a_ stem, _t_
tentacles, _o_ mouth, _v_ body, _d_ Medusa. (Agassiz.)]
[Illustration: Fig. 90. Free Medusa of Coryne. (_Agassiz_.)]
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