Definition.—Pylonida with trizonal lentelliptical medullary shell surrounded by three crossed latticed cortical girdles, one smaller (primary) transverse, one larger (secondary) lateral, and one (tertiary) sagittal girdle.
The genus Pylonium is the most highly developed among the Diplozonaria, with six complete latticed girdles, three on the medullary shell, three on the cortical shell, the latter corresponding to the former. In each of the two systems the transverse girdle is smaller than the lateral; the sagittal girdle may be smaller or larger than the lateral girdle. Pylonium repeats the typical form of Trizonium; but whilst in this latter the medullary centre of the shell is a simple spherical chamber, here in Pylonium it is a true trizonal or Larnacilla-shaped medullary shell.
Subgenus 1. Pylonissa, Haeckel.
Definition.—Cortical shell smooth or thorny, but without large, symmetrically disposed spines.
1. Pylonium circozonium, n. sp.
Cortical shell thorny, without radial spines; all its three girdles nearly of the same size, subcircular, very narrow, only with one to two rows of pores. Four gates subcircular.
Dimensions.—Principal axis 0.12, transverse axis 0.11; diameter of the subspherical medullary shell 0.05.
Habitat.—North Pacific, Station 244, depth 2900 fathoms.
2. Pylonium hexazonium, n. sp.
Cortical shell smooth, without symmetrical radial spines. Transverse girdle elliptical, one and a half times as long as broad. Lateral and sagittal girdles nearly circular. Four gates egg-shaped.