188 A. E. Verritt — Comparisons of Coral Faunae. 



Many of the important West Indian genera of reef-corals are 

 apparently absent from the Brazilian reefs. Among these are Acro- 

 pora (Mddrepora Lam.), Colpophyllia, Dendrogyra. Dichocoenia, 

 Solenastrwa, Oculina, subgenus Isophyllia, etc. 



The absence of large species of brain corals (Mceandra = Mean- 

 drina and Diploria auth.) is also a remarkable feature, for these and 

 the several varieties of Acropora muricata are the most conspicuous 

 and most abundant of the West Indian corals, and contribute more 

 than any others to the growth of the reefs. 



The Brazilian coral fauna is, however, far more nearly related to 

 the West Indian fauna than to any other. It has no special connec- 

 tion with the Indo-Pacific fauna, nor with the Panamaian fauna. 

 The only genera found common to Brazil and the Indo-Pacific region 

 are the nearly cosmotropical genera, Porites, JFavia, Mussa, Orbicella, 

 and Millepora. Of these, Porites alone occurs at Panama. But 

 the species, even of these genera, are allied to the corresponding 

 West Indian forms, and less so to those of the Indo-Pacific. 



On the other hand, none of the characteristic Indo-Pacific genera 

 and species occur on the Brazilian reefs. (See above, p. 184.) 



Revised List of Brazilian Reef Corals. 



MADREPORARIA. 



Family Maeandridae Ver. See p. 65. 



Maeandra conferta Ver. See p. 84, and these Trans., i, p. 355. 



Plate xiii, figure 6. 



Abrolhos Reefs, types, (C. F. Hartt) ; Bahia and Fernando 



Noronha (Hartt) ; Mar Grande, Bahia (Rathbun) ; Pernambuco 



(Hartt, Rathbun). Cape Frio to Pernambuco, common in tide- 

 pools (Hartt). 



Favia gravida Ver. See p. 91, and these Trans., i, p. 354. 



Plate xiii, figure 3. 



Abrolhos Reefs, type, (C. F. Hartt) ; Pernambuco and Bahia 

 (R. Rathbun) ; Cape Frio to Pernambuco, common in tide-pools 

 (C. F. Hartt). 



