104 



MADREPORAKIA. 



mysterious pebble above described. There are two specimens showing remarkable differences, 

 yet of the same general type. The name "gracilis " could only then refer to a type of structure ; 

 to class all these into a " species " called (jrucilis would be a pure assumption. 



a. (A mushroom-shaped growth which has been split in half.) 



Zool. Dept. 40. 5. 7. 19. 



78. Goniopora Red Sea (6)5. 



[? Koseir, in narrow cleft near outer edge of the reef ; coll. Klunzinger.] 



Goniopora lichen, Klunzinger, Korallenthiere des Eothen Meeres, ii. (1879) p. 46, pi. v. fig. '22. 

 Non Goniopora lichen, M.-E. & H. {^ Fmites lichen et P. reticulosa, Dana), Les Coralliaires, iii. 

 (1R60) p. 192. 



Dcsc rijJiion.— Corallnm forming small, encrusting, slightly convex stocks from 1-4 cm. 

 across, sometimes with free edges supported by epitheca. 



CaUcles small (1 '5-2 mm., rarely ?> mm.), polygonal, very shallow ; walls thin with edges 

 roughened by projecting trabeculaj ; 12 septa visible, but with traces of a third cycle; the 

 inner edges form a conspicuous crown of pali, upon a reticular columella. The radial 

 arrangement within the calicle often obscured. 



This is from the original description of Dr. Klunzinger. The photograph, which is very 

 distinct, shows a calicular structure not very unlike that of (J. Bed Sea 4. The small 

 calicles with thin walls suggest a' relationship, especially as both corals occur in the Eed 

 Sea. But Dr. Klunzinger's coral is encrusting and only slightly convex, that is, it is of a 

 very different type from the expanding-sheaf form from which we would deduce the coral 

 last described. It is possible that Goniopores of this group may be moditied for the peculiar 

 situations in which they grow, and may lose the growth-form which originally gave rise 

 to their peculiar calicle structure. In more favourable situations these might develop 

 into stocks showing the typical growth-form. 



The polyps of this coral are said to be very extensile. The tentacles, of which there are 

 more than 12, are conical, rather long, brown in colour, passing into violet with lighter tips. 

 The oral disc is of a beautiful emerald green with numerous black radial stripes. 



Dr. Klunzinger's synonymy seems to suggest that Milne-Edwards and Haime described a 

 coral whicli they called Goniopora lichen. They merely gave this name to the two species of 

 Forites described by Dana under separate names. Dr. Verrill, who has had Dana's original 

 specimens, did not accept the alteration of the generic name proposed by the French naturalists ; 

 see Introduction, p. 12. 



79. Goniopora Red Sea ,6)6- (I'l- VIII. fig. 3; PL XIII. fig. 13.) 



[Basal Mashiyet, Sinaitic Peninsula (Post-Pliocene), raised beach, coll. J. Milne ; 



British Museum.] 



Description. — Corallum grew into rapidly expanding masses or ridges, being composed of 

 an expanding sheaf of stout lamellse as seen in section. The single specimen seems to consist 



