﻿ALCYONARIA. 
  333 
  

  

  3 
  to 
  4 
  millim., 
  those 
  of 
  the 
  type 
  specimen 
  of 
  the 
  species 
  5 
  millim, 
  

   Studer 
  (l. 
  c. 
  p. 
  G36) 
  assigns 
  to 
  this 
  form 
  a 
  species 
  from 
  New 
  Guinea 
  

   with 
  orano:e-red 
  polype-heads 
  and 
  spicules 
  2-5 
  millim. 
  in 
  maximum 
  

   length, 
  which 
  appears 
  to 
  be 
  specifically 
  distinct 
  from 
  it. 
  The 
  dark 
  

   colour 
  of 
  the 
  stem 
  of 
  the 
  present 
  specimen 
  is 
  perhaps 
  simply 
  a 
  case 
  

   of 
  local 
  variation, 
  but 
  may 
  perhaps 
  be 
  the 
  normal 
  condition, 
  lost 
  in 
  the 
  

   original 
  spirit-specimen. 
  Another 
  point 
  of 
  divergence 
  is 
  the 
  usually 
  

   single 
  spicule 
  projecting 
  above 
  the 
  polype-cell 
  at 
  one 
  side 
  ; 
  in 
  

   the 
  type 
  specimen 
  there 
  are 
  usually 
  two 
  spicules 
  here. 
  

  

  Hah. 
  Port 
  Denison, 
  Queensland, 
  3-4 
  fms. 
  ; 
  bottom, 
  sand 
  and 
  

   rock. 
  

  

  5. 
  Spongodes 
  studeri. 
  (Plate 
  XXXVII. 
  figs. 
  A, 
  A', 
  «-«".) 
  

  

  Spongodes 
  spiuosa, 
  Studer, 
  MB. 
  Ak. 
  Berlin, 
  1878, 
  p. 
  6o6 
  ; 
  iiec 
  

   Spoggodes 
  spinosa, 
  Gra;/. 
  

  

  Head 
  relatively 
  large, 
  laterally 
  com])ressed, 
  sharply 
  demarcated 
  

   from 
  the 
  pedicle. 
  Oroatest 
  diameter 
  of 
  head 
  at 
  least 
  three 
  times 
  

   that 
  of 
  pedicle. 
  Pedicle 
  cylindrical, 
  weak 
  to 
  moderately 
  strong. 
  

   Common 
  axis 
  of 
  head 
  dividing 
  into 
  from 
  (J 
  to 
  12 
  strong 
  lobes, 
  of 
  

   varying 
  distinctness 
  in 
  different 
  specimens 
  ; 
  lobes 
  dividing 
  almost 
  

   immediately 
  into 
  a 
  large 
  number 
  of 
  lobules, 
  slightly 
  horizontally 
  

   expanded 
  at 
  their 
  free 
  end. 
  Terminal 
  lobules 
  each 
  presenting 
  a 
  

   mass 
  of 
  from 
  4 
  to 
  9 
  small 
  round 
  polype-heads, 
  closely 
  aggregated. 
  

   Each 
  polype 
  usually 
  accompanied 
  by 
  one 
  stout 
  projecting 
  spicule 
  on 
  

   its 
  external 
  aspect, 
  but 
  the 
  lobule 
  usually 
  has 
  but 
  two 
  or 
  three 
  

   really 
  prominent 
  spicules, 
  which 
  form 
  a 
  kind 
  of 
  calyx 
  to 
  the 
  lobule 
  ; 
  

   the 
  remaining 
  ones, 
  being 
  shorter, 
  are 
  inconspicuous, 
  as 
  a 
  rule. 
  

   The 
  largest 
  spicules 
  project 
  from 
  1 
  to 
  2 
  millim. 
  beyond 
  their 
  

   polypes. 
  Colour 
  of 
  stem 
  dirty 
  white, 
  sometimes 
  crimson, 
  that 
  

   of 
  surface 
  of 
  axis 
  of 
  the 
  head 
  and 
  its 
  subdivisions 
  white 
  or 
  pale 
  

   pinkish, 
  of 
  polypes 
  (where 
  not 
  removed 
  by 
  the 
  action 
  of 
  the 
  spirit) 
  

   either 
  claret-colour 
  or 
  deep 
  fiery 
  orange-red 
  (in 
  one 
  case 
  the 
  

   polypes 
  are 
  Avhite, 
  but 
  the 
  lobules 
  are 
  tipped 
  with 
  orange-red). 
  

  

  Spicules 
  of 
  general 
  axis 
  of 
  head 
  mostly 
  more 
  or 
  less 
  longitudinally 
  

   arranged: 
  — 
  (i.) 
  Fusiform, 
  undulating, 
  rather 
  bluntly 
  terminated, 
  

   beset 
  with 
  monticular 
  tubercles, 
  usually 
  terminally 
  roughened 
  or 
  

   divided, 
  about 
  -02 
  to 
  'OS-S 
  millim. 
  in 
  height, 
  often 
  arranged 
  in 
  ap- 
  

   proximately 
  annular 
  series 
  round 
  the 
  spicule, 
  about 
  5 
  in 
  number 
  

   in 
  the 
  semidiameter 
  of 
  the 
  middle 
  of 
  the 
  spicule 
  ; 
  size 
  about 
  3 
  by 
  '3 
  

   millim. 
  Also 
  (ii.), 
  as 
  (i.) 
  but 
  smaller, 
  with 
  tubercles 
  crowded 
  towards 
  

   ends 
  and 
  usually 
  smaller 
  than 
  in 
  (i.), 
  simple 
  (not 
  rough) 
  or 
  almost 
  

   so 
  ; 
  size 
  about 
  1-5 
  by 
  -15 
  millim. 
  Spicules 
  of 
  lobules 
  : 
  — 
  (iii.) 
  Large 
  

   " 
  main 
  " 
  s])icule 
  fusiform, 
  almost 
  straight, 
  fairly 
  sharp 
  at 
  each 
  end, 
  

   covered 
  with 
  low 
  tubercles 
  (not 
  exceeding 
  -IS 
  millim. 
  in 
  height), 
  

   about 
  4 
  to 
  a 
  semidiameter 
  in 
  the 
  middle 
  of 
  the 
  spicule 
  ; 
  tubercles 
  

   simple 
  and 
  monticular 
  towards 
  the 
  middle, 
  sharj) 
  and 
  directed 
  for- 
  

   ward 
  near 
  the 
  external 
  end, 
  where 
  tliey 
  gradually 
  diminish 
  in 
  

   size, 
  becoming 
  usually 
  very 
  scanty 
  in 
  numbers, 
  or 
  reduced 
  to 
  mere 
  

  

  