17 

 6. AcaiitJiogorgia la.xa Wrii;lit and Studer. 



Acantliogorgia laxa Wright and Studer. Challenger Reports, The Alcyonaria, 1889, p. 96. 

 Stat. 26. 8°35.iS., ii5°3i'.2E. Bali Sea. Depth 305 meters. Sand. 



The colony (incomplete), is strictly flabellate in form, and attains a height of 26 cm. 

 and a spread of 27 cm. The main stem is incomplete, and the colony was orioinally doubtless 

 much larger. The first branch origin is about 3 cm. from the pro.ximal end of stem. The main 

 stem is straight and gives off a number of strictly lateral branches in an irregularly alternate 

 manner, and these branches again divide in the same manner. Branches of the third order 

 sometimes result. The coenenchyma is thin. The calyces are usually lateral, but are not seldom 

 found on the front and back of the colony, especially on its distal parts. They are closely 

 approximated on the sides of the branches and are set nearly at right angles with the latter. 

 The branch terminations, when present, end in calyces. 



The individual calyces are rather slender cylinders, sometimes attaining a height of 

 3.5 mm. and are of almo.st equal diameter (1.5 mm.) throughout. The crown of points is not 

 conspicuous, and the tentacles are covered basally by bent spindles whose distal ends converge. 

 The calyx walls are covered with spindles arranged en chevron, their points rising to a level 

 with the tentacle bases. The spicules of the coenenchyma are longitudinally arranged. 



Spicules. These are almost all bent spindles regularly tuberculated, and of various 

 sizes. Occasionally one is seen which is of the typical acanthogorgian form ; but these are not 

 numerous. 



Color. The colony is light brown, and the spicules colorless. 



General distribution. The type was taken by the Challenger off Tom Bay, Pata- 

 gonia. Depth, 175 fathoms. 



Although the crown of points is hardly discernible, this species agrees in most of its 

 characters with the genus Acantliogorgia. 



7. Acantliogorgia triincata Studer. 



Acantliogorgia triincata Studer. Note preliminaire sur les Alcyonaires provenant des Campagnes 



de I'Hirondelle, 1891, p. 555. 

 Acantliogorgia triincata Studer. Alcyonaires provenant des Campagnes de I'Hirondelle, 1901, p. 46. 



Stat. 310. 8°3o'S., II9°7'.5E. Flores Sea. Ji meters. Sand. 



Colony flabellate and very profusely branched, attaining a height of 15 cm. and a spread 

 of 16 cm. The main stem gives off a branch 1.75 cm. from its base. A little above this the 

 main stem divides into two great branches, each of which gives off numerous lateral subalternate 

 branchlets which themselves often divide into branches of the third and fourth orders. There 

 are no anastomoses, but the terminal twigs are very numerous, forming dense tufts. The calyces 

 are equally distributed on all sides of the branches, and are closely approximated. In places 

 they tend to an arrangement in whorls of four or five, but this arrangement is by no means 



SIKOOA-KXrEDITIE f.\\\b. 3 



