B-16 



In the historical survey this species was found from Corsair 

 Canyon to as far south as the Hudson Canyon area between the 

 depths of 750 to 2150 m. Highest concentrations of P. grandis 

 were found on the wall and in the axis of Oceanographer Canyon. 

 In the field study this species was found in Lydonia and Oceanog- 

 rapher Canyon between the depths of 400 to 1349 m. Again, P. 

 grandis was most common in Oceanographer Canyon. 



Paramurioea plaoomus (Linnaeus) 



Gorgonia placomuSj Linnaeus, 1758 

 Paramurioea plaoomus ^ Kolliker, 1865:136 

 Paramuriaea borealiSf Verrill, 1878a:213; 1883:35 

 Paramurioea plaoomus ^ Deichmann, 1936:135 



In its general appearance this species is difficult to 



distinguish from Paramurioea grandis. According to Verrill 's 



original description of P .borealis the branches tend to be more 



slender, rather far apart and not very numerous. The polyps are 



also reported to be more spread out, however in some specimens 



they may be as crowded together as in P. grandis. The major 



difference between the two species lies in the spiculation. In 



borealis (=plaoomu8 ) there are no large plate-like coenenchymal 



spicules, instead there are niomerous, small, irregularly-shaped 



spinous rods. These can be curved, bent or branched and only 



rarely flattened like plates. As in P. grandis thorn-scales are 



present at the margins of the calyces, but these generally have 



smoother, more acute spines than those in grandis. In life the 



colonies are light orange or salmon in color; preserved they are 



