Verrill, Notes on liadiata. 513 



Hence I liave taken the Oculinidce, Sti/lasteridce, and ^tylophoridce, 

 kept distinct from the Astrceidm by Edwards and Haime, together 

 with certain families of their Astrceidoe, which possess the same type 

 of polyps, as representatives of a distinct suborder, intermediate in 

 many respects between Astra^acea and Madreporacea, the polyps be- 

 ing exsert, as in the latter, the corals compact and imperforate, 

 as in the former. To this suborder it seems necessary to refer the 

 Porilliiwridte, which have corals in many respects similar to those of 

 Stylophoridm and some OciUinidoe, although transversely septate or 

 tabulated, as in other widely different grou[)S, and have exsert polyps 

 nearly identical with those of Stylophora and similar genera, with 

 12 or 24 long tentacles, swollen at the tips. 



Whether the (Jaryophyllidm should be referred to this suborder or 

 to Astrseacea is somewhat uncertain, since the polyps of but few of 

 the genera have been examined. It is not improbable that the family, 

 as noAv constituted, includes genera belonging to both suborders, 

 having little in common, except the negative character of lacking 

 trans\erse sej)ta, — an embryological feature that is evidently of but 

 little importance. The genus Caryophyllia^ like its allies, Para- 

 cyathus, etc., appears to have soft parts with the same general struc- 

 ture as Octdina, Astrangia, Cladocora, etc., but J^labellum appears 

 to agree better with some Astrseacea, like Euphyllia, etc. Therefore 

 since the typical genera seem to belong here, we have placed the Caryo- 

 phyllidm in this suborder, as the lowest family. There are also cer- 

 tain other genera, generally referred to Astra^acea, which seem to 

 have greater affinities with the present division, though the soft parts 

 are too imperfectly known to afford positive evidence; such are the 

 genera, Cyphastrcea, Galaxea, Stylina, etc. 



Prof Dana's second family of Caryophyllacese, the CaryophyllidcB^ 

 included many of the genera of this group, together with Dendro- 

 phyllia and other representatives of the Madreporacea, and also 

 Stylina and Gcdaxea {Anthophyllum) ; but PociUipom, Seriatopova^ 

 and Stylophora {Slderopora) were referred by him to Madreporacea. 

 In his system the porous structure of the coral in Madreporacea was 

 not regarded as of so much importance as by most later writers. 



The following are the principal families included in this suborder : 



Stytasteridm. Corallum branched, with very compact, mostly 

 smooth, often colored c(pnenchyma. Cells small, much filled 

 up below. Septa equal, 12 to 24 (sometimes only 5 or 6), often 

 united together by their thickened inner edges so as to partially 

 close up the cell. Costte nearly obsolete. 



