37 



Table showing t Ii e geographic and b a t h y m e t r i c distribution 

 of the Gorgonelüdae collected by the Siboga Expedition. 



BATHYMETRIC. 



5° 



meters 



50 to 



100 



meters 



100 to 

 200 



iieters 



Over 

 200 



meters 



GEOGRAPHIC, ASIDE FROM DUTCH 

 EAST INDIES. 



Gorgonclla oricntahs . . . 

 Gorgonella nvibraculum . 

 Gorgonella delicatula. . . 



Gorgonella rigida 



Verrucella rubra 



Verrucella flaviflora . . . 

 Verrucella stellata .... 

 Ctenocella pectinata. . . . 



Juncella juncea 



Juncella geniinacca .... 

 Juncella raceinosa .... 

 Juncella sanguinca .... 

 Scirpearella rubra .... 

 Scirpcarella gracilis . . . 

 Scirpearellq regia .... 

 Scirpearella hemispherica 

 Nicella coralloides .... 



Nicella carinata 



Ellisella flava 



Plumigorgia Iiydroides. . 



Isidoidcs aruiata 



Totals . 



Oft" Japan. 



East Indies in general (Studer). 



Gulf of Manaar. 

 Red Sea. 



Indian Ocean, New Guinea, China Sea, 

 Indian Ocean. 

 Red Sea. 

 Japan. 



Off Hyalonema Ground, Japan. 

 Off New Hebrides. 



Australian 

 I waters. 



14 



This table shows clearly that the Gorgonellidaä are essentially shallow water forms, all 

 but one of the twenty one species in the Siboga collection having been secured from waters 

 less than 100 meters in depth. While six species in the above list are known to be from 

 more than 100 meters, but three o{\.\\&se. Scirpearella gracilis, Gorgonella orienialis a.nd Isidoides 

 armala, were taken from over 200 meters by the Siboga Expedition. The records show that 

 about 80 hauls of the dredge or tawl were taken in over 200 meters, and these should have 

 yielded more than three species of Gorgonellida;, if that family is at all common at such depths. 



The deepest water from which a gorgonellid was taken was at Station 208 where 

 Scirpcarella gracilis was dredged. This species also has a very remarkable bathymetric range, 

 being found from 34 to 1886 meters, hidoides armata was taken from a depth of 984 meters. 



The geographical distribution indicated by the table is, as would be expected from the 

 bath\metric table, much more restricted than would have been the case with more characteristic 

 deep water forms. All of the species represented by the Siboga collection are restricted to the 

 IndoT'acific region. A few species of the family Gorgonellida; are, however, found outside of 

 this region, at least five species Verrucella gnadahipcnsis, V.ramosa, V. granul if era, Juncella 

 exians and J. hystrix having been reported from the Atlantic. 



It remains true, however, that the apparent centre of distribution for this famih' is \\\ 

 the Oriental region and that its occurence elsewhere is exeptional. 



