116 



show on their surface a peculiar pitted appearance under high power. There 

 are also a few thicker spindles with rough warts. 



Canal-wall spicules : {a) The stem is apparently quite free of spicules. 



(fj) No spicule was found in the stalk. 



Colour — Stalk, stem and main branches yellowish-white ; tAvigs salmon- 

 pink ; polyps A^hite, but appearing pink owing to the jMnkish spicules. 



Locality : Station 246, off Malabar Coast, 68-148 fathoms. 



Dendronephthya decipiens, Henderson. 



ni greatest 



A complete specimen measuring 4'9 cm. in height and 4-8 cm. 

 breadth. 



The stalk is very short, TS cm. in length, thin-walled, with traces of 



stolons at the base, has a streaky appearance, 

 is parchment-like in texture, and has its upper 

 part hidden by reflexed lower branches. 



The polyjmrium is greatly flattened in one 

 plane, circular in outline, and even of surface. 

 It consists of two main branches and a large 

 number of secondary branches — the two piin- 

 cipal branches being in one plane, while the 

 smaller branches arise all round the main 

 branches and stem. Two lower branches are 

 large, flattened, reflexed, leaf-like structures 

 which have a very broad base and almost com- 

 pletely surround the stem, leaving only two 

 very small free spaces. Directly below one of 

 these there is a small branch with cylindrical 

 stalk and flattened upper portion which is 

 slightly triangulai- in shape. 



The polyps are arranged in groups of 

 three to eight, and may occur singly or in 

 small groups on the edges of the flattened 

 branches. They are low and round, 0-56 nuu. 

 high and 0'64 mm. broad, and are placed at 



has an 



Fig. 57. D. decipiens. 



an obtuse angle on the stalk which 

 average length of a little over 1 mm. The 



spicules are arranged in two distinct ways. In the first, one to two pairs meet 

 at a very obtuse angle, and above these rise eight double rows of three to four 

 pairs each, the uppermost pair being largest. One spicule projects considerably. 

 In the second the spicules meet at a more acute angle, and in the double 



