REPORT ON PHILIPPINE HYDROIDA 209 



This species is remarkable for the pronounced torsion of its hydro- 

 theeae. The extent of the colony, if it is a single colony is enormous, 

 as it spreads over the entire surface of stem and branches of a plume- 

 like sertularian 18 cm. in height, and there must be many thousands 

 of the hydrothecae. 



Family LAFOEIDAE 



ACRYPTOLARIA NORMANI, new species 



Plate 41, figs. 1, 2 



Trophosome. — Colony pinnate, 4^2 cm. high and with a spread of 

 1 y 2 cm. Stem and branches, except at their distal ends, fascicled and 

 consisting of a central hydrothecate tube surrounded by a number of 

 others destitute of hydrothecae. Branches subalternate, on opposite 

 sides of the stem, projecting from the stem almost at right angles. 

 Those near the proximal end of the colony are fascicled almost to 

 their tips, while those at the distal end are simple, almost through- 

 out and without evident nodes. Hydrothecae on the main stem are 

 usually more or less immersed, two of them being found between 

 two adjacent branch bases. Those on the branches are alternate and 

 on opposite sides, adnate to the branch for most of their length up to 

 the bend, but those on the tips of the colony are free for a consider- 

 able part of their length. The hydrothecae are tubular but abruptly 

 bent outward near their distal ends so that their apertures are at 

 right angles to the main body or even face slightly downward, on the 

 under side is a bend at a right angle or even a reentrant curve. The 

 rim is ornamented by two, sometimes three, circular ridges which are 

 quite conspicuous. There is a distinct diaphragm near the bottom 

 of the hydrotheca and the hydrothecae taper gradually into the 

 tube from which they spring. 



Nematophores. — There are a few nematophores irregularly scat- 

 tered over the branches but they seem to have no very constant rela- 

 tion to the hydrothecae. 



Gonosome. — Gonangia cylindrical about as high as the hydrothecae 

 but almost three times as broad, being three-fifths as wide as high. 

 Basal part curving roundly to the stem on which it appears to be 

 sessile. Only three were found and one was on the proximal part of 

 the stem. It is barely possible that these belong to a parasitic 

 hydroid, several of which were found on the specimen studied, but 

 \hey appear to be organically connected with the colony of A. 

 normani. 



The presence of nematophores on this form is quite confusing and 

 tends to show that their systematic importance is not great. 



Localities. — This species was secured by the Albatross at dredging- 

 station 5413, between Cebu and Bohol, at Lauis Point, 10° 10' 35" N., 

 19155—27 3 



