FOSSIL CORALS FROM WEST INDIES — WELLS 89 



Remarks. — This genus is created to receive a species from the 

 Trechmann collection that is closely related to Diploastrea Matthai, 

 Oulastrea Milne Edwards and Haime, and Cyatho7r\orpha Keuss, 

 but which differs from all these, as well as from Brachyphyllia 

 Reuss and Pseudofama Oppenheim, by the lack of a well-developed 

 columella. A more or less well-developed essential columella is 

 present in the five genera mentioned. The septa and septo-costae 

 are also unusually thin and comparatively few in number for mem- 

 bers of this family, and there is but a slight thickening of the septa 

 in the vicinity of the walls. The condition of the upper edges of 

 the septa is not well shown in the specimen, but the septa are lightly 

 dentate and lack pali or paliform lobes such as are found in 

 Cyathomorpha and Oulastrea. Diploastr^ea has strong septal teeth 

 or notches, but lacks pali. BrachyphylUa has numerous septa, which 

 unite or fuse inwardly, and a well-developed columella. 



PRODIPLOASTREA SCHINDEWOLFI, new species 



Plate 4, Figures 21, 22 



Descr^ption\. — Corallum subspherical, pedunculate. Corallites 

 cylindrical, projecting, united by confluent septo-costae and a thin 

 exotheca. On the surface between the corallites the septo-costae 

 are thin, wavering, with rounded beaded edges. The calices are 

 circular, bounded by a thin, well-defined, perforate synapticular 

 wall, rather deep, crateriform, witli an average diameter of 3.5 mm, 

 although they may be as small as 2.5 mm. They are but slightly 

 elevated above the intercorallite areas on the upper surface of the 

 corallum, becoming higher on the sides and toward the base, the 

 average distance between them being 3.25 mm. The septal arrange- 

 ment is irregular, there being 24 to 32 septa, depending on the size 

 of the corallite. They are thin, laminar, imperforate, regularly 

 alternating in length so that half of them extend nearly to the center 

 of the corallite, slightly exsert, lightly dentate on their upper mar- 

 gins, which descend rapidly to the bottom of the calice. There is no 

 true columella, although the inner edges of a few of the larger septa 

 may meet to form a straggly parietal axis. Endotheca scarce. 

 Synapticulae well developed only near the wall. Exotheca well 

 developed. 



Holotype.—V.S.'^.M. no. 74476. 



Occwrrence. — In the limestone of the Upper Cretaceous in the 

 Cambridge-Catadupa railway cut (Trechmann collection). 



