The distinction of the Coronida from the other Stephoidea is always easy. In the Stephanida and Semantida, the frontal ring, or the second meridian ring, which we find in all Coronida, is never developed. On the other hand these latter never exhibit the typical "mitral ring," or the second, upper, horizontal ring, which distinguishes the Tympanida.
We distinguish here, among the Coronida, four different subfamilies, which perhaps afterwards may be better separated as families. Of these four groups the Zygostephanida and Acanthodesmida exhibit the nearest relationship to the Stephanida, whilst the Eucoronida and Trissocyclida possess a closer affinity with the Semantida.
The Zygostephanida, constituting the first subfamily, exhibit four large gates only, and differ from all other Coronida in the absence of a basal ring and of basal gates. Therefore the skeleton is entirely composed of two crossed vertical rings, perpendicular to one another; the first is the primary or sagittal ring (inherited from the Stephanida), the second is the new lateral or frontal ring. The four large lateral gates are either quite simple (Zygostephanus) or partly closed by loose and irregular lattice-work (Zygostephanium). The Zygostephanida may be derived directly from the Stephanida by development of lateral branches forming a frontal ring. They commonly possess the same characteristic spines or branches, and the same typical difference between the straight dorsal rod and convex ventral rod of the sagittal ring, which we found in the greater number of Stephanida. The frontal ring is commonly elliptical or kidney-shaped, and much larger than the ovate sagittal ring.
The Acanthodesmida, forming the second subfamily of Coronida, differ from all other members of this family in the possession of a large simple basal gate, surrounded by a simple horizontal basal ring. Only this ring is complete, whilst the two crossed vertical meridian rings (the primary sagittal and the secondary frontal ring) are incomplete, both truncated at the base by the basal ring. Therefore there remain here between the three rings five large gates (recognised previously by Johannes Müller in 1856 in Acanthodesmia): four lateral gates (the same as in the Zygostephanida) and one central basal gate. The latter is always quite simple and serves for the emission of the pseudopodia, arising from the basal pole of the central capsule. The four lateral gates are either quite simple (Coronidium) or partly closed by irregular loose lattice-work (Acanthodesmia). The subfamily Acanthodesmida may be derived either directly from the Stephanida (by development of a central basal gate) or from the Eucoronida (by loss of the basilar part of the sagittal ring).
The Eucoronida, the third subfamily, are the most important group of the Coronida; their numerous species are much more frequent and more widely distributed than those of the other three subfamilies. They may be derived immediately from the Semantida by the development of a lateral or frontal ring. This remains incomplete in the basal part, whilst the two other rings, perpendicular to it (the vertical sagittal ring and the horizontal basal ring), are complete. Therefore the shell constantly exhibits six large open gates between the three rings; four lateral gates (the same as in the Zygostephanida and Acanthodesmida) and two basal gates (inherited from Semantis); the latter correspond to the "jugular pores" of the Spyroidea and Cyrtoidea; they remain constantly simple. The four lateral gates may also remain simple (Eucoronis) or they may become partly closed by irregular loose lattice-work (Plectocoronis). The remarkable genus Podocoronis is distinguished by the development of typical descending basal feet, which are regularly disposed and correspond to the typical "cortinar feet" of the other Nassellaria. There may be developed either two lateral feet (as lower prolongations of the segments of the frontal ring), or three feet (one caudal and two pectoral, as in Cortina and Cortiniscus), or four feet (two sagittal and two lateral, as in Stephanium and Stephaniscus), or six feet (two sagittal, two pectoral, two tergal, as in Semantiscus), sometimes numerous feet (as in Petalospyris and Anthocyrtis, &c.).
The Trissocyclida represent the fourth and last subfamily of Coronida, distinguished from all others in the possession of three complete rings, perpendicular one to another, and of eight large gates separated by them. Two of the three rings are vertical (the primary sagittal and the secondary frontal ring), the third is horizontal (the basal ring). The four upper gates correspond to the four lateral gates of the preceding three subfamilies; the four lower gates are the same as the four basal gates of Semantrum (two primary jugular and two secondary cardinal gates); therefore the Trissocyclida may be derived directly from these Semantida by development of a complete frontal ring. Probably the two jugular gates were originally smaller than the two cardinal, but usually they have become equal. In Tristephanium (the common ancestral form of the Trissocyclida) and in the closely allied Tricyclidium the four basal gates remain smaller than the four lateral gates. But in two other genera, Trissocircus and Trissocyclus, the four lower or basal gates reach the same size as the four upper or lateral gates; therefore all eight gates become equal and the basal ring becomes equatorial. In the most regular species of the latter genera also the three rings become perfectly equal and cannot be any longer distinguished. Here the original bilateral (or dipleuric) fundamental form of the shell passes over into a regular cubic or octahedral form (with three equal, isopolar axes, perpendicular one to another). The eight large gates of the Trissocyclida usually remain simple (Tristephanium, Trissocircus), but sometimes they become partly closed by loose lattice-work (Tricyclidium, Trissocyclus).
The original rings, and the secondary rods or bars, composing the loose framework of the Coronida are either roundish (with circular or elliptical transverse section) or three-edged (with triangular transverse section), rarely quadrangular or provided with distorted edges. The branches or spines arising from them, are either simple or branched, and offer a great variety in number, form, and disposition. The most important forms are those which develop the three typical basal feet of Cortina, e.g., Podocoronis cortina (Pl. [97], fig. 2).
The Central Capsule of the Coronida is the same as in the other Stephoidea (comp. p. [937]), and offers all those characteristic peculiarities of "Monopylea" which we have mentioned above in the general description of the Nassellaria (p. [890]). Usually it is spherical or ellipsoidal, often violin-shaped or bilobed, with a sagittal constriction. The porochora of its basal pole is in close contact with the base of the sagittal ring.
Synopsis of the Genera of Coronida.
I. Subfamily Zygostephanida. Four lateral gates (no basal gate). |  | Two meridional rings (sagittal and frontal) complete, perpendicular to one another (no basal ring). |  | Four lateral gates simple, | 414. Zygostephanus. | ||
| Four lateral gates partly latticed, | 415. Zygostephanium. | ||||||
II. Subfamily Acanthodesmida. Five large gates (four lateral and one simple basal). | | Two meridional rings (sagittal and frontal) incomplete, both truncated by the complete horizontal basal ring. | | Four lateral gates simple, | 416. Coronidium. | ||
| Four lateral gates partly latticed, | 417. Acanthodesmia. | ||||||
III. Subfamily Eucoronida. Six large gates (four lateral and two basal). | | Two rings (the sagittal meridional ring and the horizontal basal ring) complete, the frontal meridian ring incomplete. |  | Basal ring without larger descending feet. | | Gates simple, | 418. Eucoronis. |
| Gates partly latticed, | 419. Plectocoronis. | ||||||
| Basal ring with large, regularly disposed, descending feet. Gates simple, | 420. Podocoronis. | ||||||
IV. Subfamily Trissocyclida. Eight large gates (four upper lateral and four lower basal). |  | Two meridional rings (sagittal and frontal) and the horizontal basal ring complete. All three complete rings perpendicular to one another. | | Four upper gates larger than the four lower. | | Gates simple, | 421. Tristephanium. |
| Gates partly latticed, | 422. Tricyclidium. | ||||||
| All eight gates of equal size. | | Gates simple, | 423. Trissocircus. | ||||
| Gates partly latticed, | 424. Trissocyclus. | ||||||