19 



d. Spicules of the iiuthocodia mostly pale yellow with few and small 



spines. 

 Straight spindles, OGxO-015; 0-4x0-02. 

 Curved spindles, 0-55xO-015; 0-55xO-01. 

 Hockey-clubs, 0-6x0-2; 0-4x0-015. 



e. Pale yellow spicules of the tentacles mostly curved spindles and 



hockey-clubs. 

 Curved spindles, 0-45 x 0-02; 0-35 x 0-03. 

 Hockey-clubs, 0-35x0-04. 



Systematic Position. 

 The presence of the close felt-work of spicules already referred to places this 

 form in the subfamily Siphonogorginpe as defined by Wright and Studer. The 

 genera Siphonogorgia (Kolliker), Chironephthya (Wright and Studer), Para- 

 nephthya (Wright and Studer), and Sderonephthya (Wright and Studer), need not 

 be considered ; but there is undoubtedly relationship with Lemnalia (Gray emend. 

 Bourne). From this genus, however, our specimen differs essentially, in that it is 

 not branched, and in having the anthocodife pedicelled. Other features, such as 

 the form of the verrucse, the nature of the anthocodise, the introversion of the 

 zooids, and the general details of the colony, mark it off as a new and very distinct 



genus. 



Diagnosis. 



Colony upright, attached, mushroom- shaped (agariciform), consisting of (l) a 

 stout, densely spiculose trunk composed of a longitudinally arranged system of 

 coenenchymal canals with fused walls, the more superficial of which appear as ribs 

 on the surface; and (2) a "pileus" portion bearing the zooids which are intro- 

 versible within projecting verrucse — cylindrical extensions of the trunk canals, the 

 upper portions of which are expanded peripherally into octagonal discs containing 

 eight canals, corresponding to the eight compartments formed by the retractor 

 muscles. The anthocodise are borne on somewhat slender stalks, the elastic walls 

 of which are continuations of the upper walls of the discs. The tentacles are not 

 retractile, but are simply folded over the wide oral disc, the biserial arrangement 

 of the spicules forming a simple pseudo-operculum. The oral disc is spacious, 

 protected by eight triangular projections of spicules. The mouth, considerably 

 elongated, leads into a richly ciliated stomodseum in which a distinct sulcus can 

 be distinguished. The mesenteries are complete, and are continued down to the 

 very base of the stem canals. The spicules are irregularly echinate, and consist 

 chiefly of straight and curved spindles ; while some approach the " scaphoid " type, 

 others are single " hockey-clubs," i.e. club-shaped with a curved termination. 



Locality : Station 333 ; 0° 31' N., 79° 33' 45" E. ; 401 fathoms. 



