250 Mr. A. Murray, on new Sertulariadse 



XXVIII. Description of new Sertulariadse from the Calif ornian 

 Coast. By ANDREW MURRAY, F.R.S.E.* 



[With two Plates.] 



THE interest which attaches to the existence of closely allied 

 forms in far distant regions induces me to publish the following 

 isolated descriptions of five new Sertulariadse from the coast of 

 California. 



With one exception, they are all most nearly allied to species 

 found on the British coasts, viz. to Sertularia operculata, S. fili- 

 cula, Plumularia falcata, and Plumularia cristata; and I may 

 notice that along with them I received the stems of a Eudendrium 

 which I cannot distinguish from Eu. ramosum of our own coast, 

 although, from the want of the vesicles, it is impossible to decide 

 whether it is a distinct species or not. 



To secure absolute accuracy in the figures, they have been 

 drawn by the aid of the camera lucida. 



1. Sertularia tricuspidata, Murr. PI. XI. fig. 1. 



Cells inversely pear-shaped and nearly opposite, a single one 

 in the axilla of each pinna; mouth at end of cell, aperture 

 obliquely truncate, tricuspid at the outer edge; middle cusp 

 longest. Vesicles unknown. 



The habit of this species is perfectly that of S. operculata. 

 Its cells, however, are broader, shorter, stouter, and less acutely 

 conical ; they are not perfectly opposite ; they do not meet each 

 other at the base, and are more everted ; they are tricuspid on 

 the outer lip, the middle cusp being longest, and the lateral 

 cusps are nearer it and more reflexed than is the case in S. oper- 

 culata when it has two lateral teeth. 



It grows in tufts from 2 to 3 inches high, flexuose and serru- 

 lated, with polype-cells which are fully as much everted as is 

 usually the case in this family, instead of being less so, as is the 

 habit of S. operculata. 



There were no vesicles in my specimens. 



Bay of San Francisco. 



2. Sertularia labrata, Murr. PI. XI. fig. 2. 



Cells nearly opposite, a single one in the axilla of each 

 pinna; mouth at end of cell; lip distinct, not toothed; aperture 

 obliquely truncate. Vesicles not known. 



Like S. filicula in habit. The cells, however, are differently 



* Communicated by the author, having been read hefore the Royal 

 Physical Society of Edinburgh, Feb. 22, 1860. 



