MADREPORARIAN CORALS 6i 



possibly lead to a confusion with another coral belonging to 

 a different family, namely, Pachyseris (Fig. 29, p. 75). 



It is therefore important to note that the surfaces of 

 the septa are armed with a profusion of spines, but that 

 these spines never meet across the interseptal spaces to form 

 bars (synapticula), binding the septa together as they do 

 in the family to which Pachyseris belongs. 



EcHiNOPORA. — Another foliaceous x\straeid, not in- 

 frequently found on the Indian and Pacific coral reefs, is 

 Echinopora. The thin lobes or laminae of this coral exhibit 

 a very different arrangement of the calices, as they are far 

 more clearly defined and separated from each other by con- 

 siderable intervals of coenosteum. In the centre of each 

 calyx there is a broad and conspicuous spongy columella, 

 and from this radiate a number of thick septa, continuous 

 over the lip of the calices with very well-marked costae, 

 spreading over the coenosteum and joining up with the 

 costae of neighbouring calices to form continuous ridges. 

 As the generic name implies, Echinopora is also characterised 

 by the rich endowment it possesses of sharp spines. The 

 septa are edged with rows of strong sharp teeth, which are 

 particularly well developed in the neighbourhood of the 

 columella, and the whole surface of the coenosteum is armed 

 with numerous spines. 



Cladocora. — Of the recent dendritic Astraeids, the 

 most familiar is Cladocora. One species (C. arhnscula) of 

 this genus is found in the Mediterranean Sea, but it is more 

 characteristic of the warmer waters of the Atlantic Ocean. 



" Small bush-like colonies of this species occur in numbers 

 in the shallow waters of Kingston Harbour in Jamaica and 

 at other points around the coast, either free or attached to 

 loose pebbles or shells. Larger colonies are found in water 

 of from three to six feet, and thickly incrust the bottoms of 

 boats phing in the harbours " (Duerden).^ The branches 

 of this dendritic coral terminate in small columnar calices 

 4-5 mm. in diameter. 



Each calyx has a variable number of exsert septa, 

 several pali, a well-developed columella, and simple granular 



^ Mem. Xat. Acad. Sci. Washington, vol. viii., 1902, p. 558. 



