104 UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM BULLETIN 251 



Clavelina coerulea Oka (1934) from Japanese waters near 

 Kyusyu Island resembles the present form very closely. It differs, 

 however, from the present species in tlie appearance and arrange- 

 ment of muscles on the mantle body and the appearance of the anus; 

 line, obliquely running muscles are found only on the thorax and the 

 anus is cut mto a pair of smoothly margined lobes in G. coerulea. 



Distribution. — Formerly reported only from the Siboga area. 



44. Clavelina molluccensis (Sluiter) 



Figure 35 



Podoclavella molluccensis Sluiter, 1904, p. 5. — Hastings, 1931, p. 82, pi. 1, fig. F. 

 Clavelina (Podoclavella) mcridionalis Sluiter, 1895, p. 1G5, pi. 6, figs. 1-4. (Not 



P. meridionulis Ilerdman.) 

 Podoclavella mcridionalis Pizon, 1908, p. 197, pi. 9, figs. 1-4. (Not Herdman.) 

 Clavelina molluccensis Vau Name, 1918, p. 130, figs. 85-87. 



MATERIAL EXAMINED 



Palau Islands : Iwayama Bay, east side of Oyster Pass : GVF sta. 220. One 

 small fragment (USNM 11445). — Iwayama Bay, mouth of Oyster Pass; GVF 

 sta. 23GA. One large colony (USNM 11425). 



Description. — Two colonies from the Palau Islands were examined. 

 One consists of many zooids ensheathed in respective tests, fused at the 

 basal end of the body and forming a large mass measuring about 40 

 mm. in length; the other is a small fragment including only a single 

 perfect zooid. The fusion between zooids is made somewliat irregu- 

 larly, never forming a regularly fasciated colony like that found in 

 Clavelina fasciata Van Name. 



Test enclosing thoracic portion of zooid very soft and quite trans- 

 parent, but that enclosing abdomen is translucent, rather hard, finely 

 wrinkled, and carries a small amount of mud or fine sand grains on 

 the surface. Test of proximal half of abdominal region contains many 

 stolonial vessels running through it, each ending in a slightly swollen 

 terminal ; vessels usually faintly colored purplish brown. Coloration 

 when the animals are alive is unique: body dark blue and anterior 

 portion of zooid surrounding branchial and atrial apertures a very 

 bright yellow. In preserved specimens color varies considerably indi- 

 vidually ; may be dark purplish in some zooids, quite colorless in others. 



Zooids from larger colony 23-25 mm. in length, but those from the 

 smaller piece only 15 mm. in length even when enveloping test is 

 included in measurement. Thorax and abdomen nearly equal in 

 length, sometimes latter slightly longer than former. Both branchial 

 and atrial apertures plainly margined. From 12-25 longitudinal mus- 

 cles on each side of thorax, several dorsal ones extremely fine; muscles 

 not so strong that all examined zooids were found nearly in an ex- 

 tended state. No distinct transverse muscles observed. The 15 mm. 

 long individual has 15-16 stigmatal rows, and 22-29 rows in examined 

 zooids from the larger colony. In larger zooids 70-80 stigmata per 



