Zmlog;/.} NATURAL HISTORY OF VICTORIA. [Polyzoa* 



-ac/i 



Plate 47, Fig. 1. S<v4*^ 5J; 



DICTYOPOEA CELLULOSA (P. MacGil.). 



[Genus DICTYOPORA (l\ MacGil.). (Suli-kingil. Mollusca. Class Polyzoa. Order 

 Infundibulata, Suh-Urder Cheilostoiiiata. Fam. Escharida?.) 



Gen. Char — Polvzoar_v stony, expanded, foliaccous, fenestrate, articulated by a flexible 

 stem ; cells horizontal, opening on both sides.] 



Description. — Polvzoarv expanded, proliferotis, and cavernous ; fenestrae round, 

 narvower than the interspaces ; cells distinct, mouth nearly' circular ; a larg-e avicu- 

 larium on the front of each cell below the mouth, with tLe mandible pointed 

 obliqiieh' upwards and outwards. 



Reference. — P. H. MacGillivray, Trans. Roy. Soc. Vict., 1868. 



QueeiisclifF. 



Of tliis liandsome species, tlie largest specimen I have seen is tlie 

 one fionred, wliicli is 9 inches liio-li bv IG in circumference at 

 its thickest part. In young specimens the color is deejj brown, 

 but this becomes much lighter with age. The flexible stem by 

 which the polyzoary is attached is short, and is marked by narrow, 

 transverse, broken, coriaceous ridges, which are joined by masses of 

 short, tubular, vertical fibres. In old specimens the stem becomes 

 more rigid, from the deposit of calcareous matter. The polyzoary 

 is expanded, foliaceous, proliferous, and variously twisted to form 

 a cavernous mass like a large Retepore. The cells are distinct, 

 with a small circular mouth, with a thickened margin. The avicu- 

 laria are very large, usually on the front and side of the cell, pointed 

 obliquely upwards and outwards, and with the mandible reaching 

 to opposite the middle of the cell-mouth. At the lower part of the 

 polyzoary the surface is occasionally elevated into obscure rounded 

 ridges, extending for a short distance upwards. The fenestrae are 

 round, variable in size, but always narrower than the interspaces. 

 The size of the compartment formed by the twisting and junction 

 of the lamina varies, in some specimens the polyzoary being flatter 

 and with very few divisions. 



Lamouroux founded the genus Adenna to contain two Australian 

 zoophytes, characterised by the stony expanded frond being sup- 



• In different descriptions ** zoarium " is used for " pf'lyzoary." " zooecium " is used for " cell," and *' ooeciuni " is used 



in?tca<1 of *' ovlcell." 



[ 37 ] 



