REPORT ON THE ANTIPATHARIA. 89 



Synopsis of Species. 



1. Stem long, slender, spiral; spines small, conical, arranged in irregular sinistrorse 



spirals, ......... pourtalesi, n. sp. 



2. Stem long and slender, sinuous but not spiral, scarcely tapering ; spines simple, 



triangular, with, further growth becoming bifid and ultimately double, . . gracilis (Gray). 



3. Stem slender, not spiral, distinctly tapering ; spines numerous, short, triangular, 



much compressed, directed upwards, and arranged in steep sinistrorse spirals,. . echinulata, n.sp. 



4. Stems slender, relatively short, several from one base ; spines small, arranged in 



regular verticils, ........ desbonni (D.&M.). 



5.- Stem elongate, slender, tapering ; spines short, conical, somewhat compressed, 



arranged in dextrorse spirals on younger portions of the axis, . . . occidentalis(Gxa.^). 



6. Stem slender, scarcely tapering ; spines very large, slightly bent upwards, 



arranged in irregular sinistrorse spirals, ..... filiformis (Gray). 



7. Stem slender, slightly tapering ; spines large, distinctly papillose, longer on one 



side of the axis than on the other, ...... liitkeni, n. sp. 



Stichopathes pourtalesi, n. sp. 



Antipathes spiralis, Pourtales (non PalL), Bull. Mus. Comp. Zool., 1880, p. 114, pi. 3, figs. 5, 25, 



26. 

 Antipathes Desbonni, Pourtales (non D. & M.), Bull. Mus. Comp. Zool., vol. v. p. 209 ; Illustr. 



Cat. Mus. Comp. Zool., No. viii., 1874, p. 46. 



Stem very slender, wound nearly from the base into spirals, 10 to 20 cm. in diameter. 

 The spirals are either from right to left or the reverse, and sometimes change in the same 

 specimen. Spines short, triangular, compressed, and never in verticils but in quincunx. 

 Longest specimens 3 "2 m. long, and only 4 to 5 mm. in diameter at the base. The polyps 

 are alternately large and small, having long digitiform tentacles much longer than has 

 been figured for any other species (cf. Pourt., loc. cit., pi. iii. figs. 25 and 26). The 

 figures show the polyps and tentacles as frequently disposed, the larger polyps alone 

 being visible ; the smaller ones are seen only in profile view. At other times (probably 

 owing to the action of spirit) the tentacles are much shortened and stiffened, and stand 

 out like those of Antipathes arborea, Dana. The coenenchyma on the back of 

 the stem shows transverse canals more transparent than the rest in the spaces between 

 successive polyps. 



In an earlier notice of this species (64, p. 209) Pourtales speaks of the axis 

 having six rows of spines of which the polyps cover four. (In his later figures of the 

 spines they are shown arranged in an irregular spiral , five or six of a series being visible 

 from one aspect.) The polyps are large and crowded, alternately but not regularly 

 large and small. " Eggs were found in one of the larger, thus rendering it probable that 

 they and the smaller ones are of different sexes" (Pourt., loc. cit., p. 209). The bearings 

 of this point are discussed under Section II. of this Monograph. In the polyps near the 

 base of the stem the tentacles become obsolete, although the mouth is plainly visible. 



(zool. CHALL. EXP. — PART LXXX. — 1889.) Llll 12 



