NO. 1923. DESCRIPTIONS OF PACIFIC ALCTONARIA— NUTTING. 21 



Type-specimen.— Csit. No. 30036, U.S.N.M. 



Named in honor of Prof. W. Ktikenthal, of Breslau, whose admirable 

 work on Alcyonaria has added so much to our knowledge of that 

 group. 



ALCYONIUM GRACILLIMUM KUkenthal. 

 Alcyonium gracillimum Kukenthal, Japanische Alcyonaceen, 1906, p. 34. 



A number of specimens in the collection agree well with the original 

 description and figures of this species. The colonies are growmg on 

 soft, fleshy tubes which are presumably worm tubes. 



The polyps are retractile, but in expansion they raise the surround- 

 mg tissue into short calyces with pinkish, warty spindles arranged 

 vertically. The lower part of the exposed polyp has 8 double rows of 

 slightly pinkish spindles arranged en chevron and extending upward 

 into 8 longitudinal bands. The basal parts of the tentacles bear 

 transverse spicules. 



The spicules are small stout spindles, with comparatively large 

 verruc93. 



Color: Light yellowish-brown. 



Localities.— St&tion 5005 ;\iit. 46° 04' 40'' N.; long. 142° 27' 30" E.; 

 42-43 fathoms. Station 5006; lat. 46° 04' N.; long. 142° 29' E.; 

 42-43 fathoms. Station 5007; lat. 46° 03' N.; long. 142° 31' E.; 42 

 fathoms. 



General distribution. — The type-locality is Misaki, Sagami Bay, 

 Japan. 



Genus NIDALIA Gray (emended by Kukenthal). 



Colony simple. The sterile and polypif erous portions sharply differ- 

 entiated. The delicate polyps retractile within nonretractile calyces. 

 Zooids absent. Spicules warty rods and spindles.^ 



NIDALIA RUBRA (Brundin). 



Bellonella rubra Brundin, Alcyonarien des zoologischeu Museums in Upsala, 



1896, p. 6. 

 Nidalia rubra Kukenthal, Japanische Alcyonarien, 1906, p. 22. 



Four specimens from station 4807 agree very well with KiikenthaFs 

 description and figures. They are lighter red than those figured by 

 that author; but one, the smallest, is brighter than the others, and is 

 more nearly the color represented by Kukenthal. 



Height of colony 3.6 cm. Stem 1.4 cm. long. The diameter of the 

 stem is 7 mm., and of the polypif erous part of the colony 13 mm. The 

 details of the polyps, spiculation, etc., agree well with the description 

 referred to. 



1 This definition is a condensed and abridged translation of the one given by Ktikenthal, Japanische 

 Alcyonaceen, 1906, p. 19. 



