126 OKHAMANDAL MARINE ZOOLOGY REPORT 



ORDER AXIFERA. 



Family Muriceidte : 4. Astromuricea stellifera, n. sp. 



5. Echinomuricea uliginosa, Thomson and Simpson, var. 



tenerior n. 

 Family Gorgonidse : G. Lophogorgia lutkeni, Wright and Studer. 



7. Juncella juncea (Pallas). 



ORDER STELECHOTOKEA. Section Pennatulacea. 

 Family Virgularidai : 8. Virgularia rumphii, Kolliker. 



ORDER ALCYONACEA. FAMILY ALCYONID^. 



1. Sclerophytum polydactylum (Ehreuberg). 

 PLATE, fig. 5. 



= Lobularia polydaclyla, Ehrenberg. 

 = Alcyonium polydactylum, Dana. 

 For description see : 



Klunzinger: Die Korallthiere des JRothen Meeres, Part I. 1877, p. 26 ; PI. I. figs. 6a-6/. 



Pratt : The Alcyonaria of the Maldives, Part II. 1903, p. 524. 



Several fine specimens are referable to this species, which is characterised 

 by the absence of siphonozooids, the small size of the autozooids, and the tough, 

 fleshy texture. 



The largest specimen has the following dimensions : height, 5 cm. ; length, 

 14 cm. ; breadth, 8 cm. The lobes are much less digitiform than those figured 

 by Klunzinger, being broader and flatter. 



No autozooids occur on the stalk. They are most crowded towards the tips 

 of the lobes. From ten to twelve may be counted on a linear centimetre. 



The spicules closely resemble those figured by Klunzinger ; the average 

 size of the large warty spindles is 1'5 mm. by 0'3 mm., and of the small clubs 

 0'08 by 0'02 mm. 



The colour of the colony is greyish -brown, and the surface, under the low 

 power, has a peculiar reticulate appearance due to the presence of small superficial 

 spicules. 



Localities : The specimens were obtained off Beyt Island, from Adatra Reef, 

 and from Chindi Reef. 



Previously recorded from : The Red Sea, Maldives, Gulf of Mannar, Zanzibar, 

 China Sea, British New Guinea. 



