388 BULLETIN 100, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



CHEILOPORINA CAERULEA, new species 



Plate 54, figs. 2-4 



Description. — The zoarium encrusts shells, corals, large bryozoa, 

 and nullipores; it is very deep blue, almost black. The zooecia are 

 distinct, separated by a furrow, rather large, elongated, elliptical; 

 the frontal is convex, finely granulated, and perforated by very 

 small, numerous tremopores. The apertura is elliptical, a little elon- 

 gated; two small cardelles placed in the lower third separate a small 

 poster from a large anter; the peristome is complete, salient, thick, 

 smooth. The ovicell is convex, transverse, of the same nature as 

 the frontal; the zooecium which bears it has an orbicular aperture. 



Measurements . — 



Apertura!^ -°" 18 mm « Zooeciaj^ =0.70-0.80 mm. 



y \la -0.14-0. 16 mm. \lz -0.40-0.50 mm. 



Affinities. — This new species differs from Mucronella ventricosa mul- 

 tispinata Busk, 1885, in its endozooecial, transverse ovicell. It differs 

 from Cheiloporina flava in its nonenlarged anter, in its peristome 

 without lateral notch, and its larger ovicell. 



The operculum in place is black and appears very thick. Detached 

 it is thin, little transparent, covered with veinules widely spaced in 

 the ordinary zooecia and crowded in the ovarian zooecia. 



Biology. — The very intense pigmentation of this beautiful species 

 renders it quite easy to recognize; it is never in conformity with the 

 color of the shells and nullipores. Our specimens were in reproduc- 

 tion and fixation in February, 1908. 



The species is found in the Sulu Archipelago at shallow depths of 

 water. Nevertheless it lives very well in the Strait of Tinagta at 

 419 meters, but the specimens are less beautiful and the aperture 

 of the ovicelled zooecia is transverse. It lives on the coral bottom 

 of this region, but the larvae do not attach themselves to corals but 

 prefer the d6bris of shells. 

 Occurrence. — ■ 



D. 5137. Jolo Light, Jolo; 6° 04' 25" N.; 120° 58' 30" E.; 20 



fathoms; S. Sh. 

 D. 5141. Jolo Light, Jolo; 6° 09' N.; 120° 58' E.; 29 fathoms; 



co. S. 

 D. 5144. Jolo Light, Jolo; 6° 05' 50" N.; 121° 02' 15" E.; 19 



fathoms; co. S. 

 D. 5145. Jolo Light, Jolo; 6° 04' 30" N.; 120° 59' 30" E.; 23 



fathoms; co. S., Sh. 

 D. 5147. Sulade Island, Sulu Archipelago; 5° 41' 40" N.; 120° 



47' 10" E.; 21 fathoms; co. S., Sh. 

 D. 5151. Sirun Island, Sulu Archipelago; 5° 24' 40" N.; 120° 

 27' 15" E.; 24 fathoms; co. S., Sh. 



