Translation of the original German introduction by Ernst Haeckel:
Phylum of Cnidaria (Nesseltiere); - subclass of Anthozoa (Korallen); - legion of Alcyonaria (Kranzkorallen); - order of Octocoralla (achtstrahlige Kranzkorallen).
The family of Pennatulida forms a special group in the order of Octocoralla. All corals of this family form symmetric colonies or Corma with many flower-like polyps attached on a collective shaft. Most species are of considerable size and beautifully coloured. The shaft of the common colony body (Cormus) contains a horny axis and is loosely fixed to the sea-bed with its lower end. The individual polyps or personae, with a corona of eight feathered tentacles around the mouth, are distributed regularly, feather-like or umbel-like along the shaft.
Translation by VR Translators Bangalore
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