﻿34 BEKILLIS^. 



Fam. 5. RENILLID^E. 



Coral frondose, expanded, fleshy, without any axis. Stem with 

 abundance of red trigonal spicules. 



" Polypes arranged symmetrically on the upper surface of a more 

 or less flattened cavernous disk, or frond, to the lower surface of 

 which there is attached a hollow locomotive organ, in the form of a 

 peduncle destitute of a solid axis." — Verrlll, Mem. Boston Soc. Nat. 

 Hist. i. p. 12. 



1. Kenilla. Frond oblong or kidney-shaped. Polypes numerous, 



2. Herklotsia. Frond oblong or kidney-shaped. Polypes few. 



3. Renillina. Frond expanded, lobed. Polypes few. 



23. RENILLA. 



Renilla, Lamk. A. s. V. ed. 2. p. 248 ; Dana, ZoopJi. p. 588. 



Disk smooth above and beneath. Frond oblong, kidney^shaped, 

 continued into the stem. Polypes numerous. 



" Frond more or less reniform, with a notch or sinus in the pos- 

 terior edge ; lower surface somewhat striated with radiating lines ; 

 upper surface with scattered cells surrounded by spicula, which 

 usually project a little above the surface. Polypes, when expanded, 

 much exserted, but capable of entire retraction. Among the perfect 

 polypes are scattered numerous rudimentary individuals, which appear 

 Hke clusters of small white papiUse. The peduncle is attached to 

 the lower surface at or near the sinus ; it is hollow, more or less 

 coriaceous, filled, like the surface of the frond, with calcareous 

 spicula, but capable of a great amount of contraction and expansion ; 

 a membrane divides it into an anterior and posterior longitudinal 

 chamber. The former communicates with a large cavity occupying 

 the central and posterior portion of the upper surface, and from this, 

 by numerous openings, with other cavities, filling the whole interior 

 of the frond, and connected with the polypes. The posterior chamber 

 commimicates directly with a large cavity at the origin of the pe- 

 duncle, and then by numerous small openings with the other cavities 

 of the disk. The tentacles have rather long lobes, in a single row 

 on each side." — Verrill, Mem. Boston Soc. N. H. i. p. 17. 



58. Renilla reniformis. B.M. 



Kidney-shaped Sea-Pen, Ellis, Phil. Trans, liii. p. 427, 1. 19. f. (3-10. 

 Pennatula reniformis, Pallas, Zooph. p. 374. n. 222 ; Ellis i^- Solandcr, 

 Zooph. p. 65. 



