102 A. E. Verrill — Benniidian and West Indian lieef Corals. 



Orbicella cavernosa (Linne) Ver. 



Madvepora cavernosa Linne, Syst., ed. xii, p. 1276, 1766. Esper, Fortseiz, i, 



p. 18, pi. xxxvii, 1797. 

 Madrepora radiata Ellis and Sol., Zooph., p. 169, pi. xlvii, fig. 8, 1786. 

 Favia cavernosa Oken, Lehr. Naturg. , p. 67, 1815. 

 Astrea radiata and ^4. argus Lam., Hist. Anim. sans Vert. , ii, pp. 258, 259, 



1816 ; ed. 2, p. 404. Lamouroux, Encyl. Metli., pp. 57, 131, pi. xlvii, fig. 8, 



1824. (Reprint of plate of Ellis and Sol.) 

 Astrea cavernosa Schweig. , Natnrg. , p. 419, 1820. Edw. and Haime, Brit. 



Fossil Corals, p. xxxix, 1850. 

 Astrea (Orbicella) argus and A. (0.) radiata Dana, Zo'6\ih.. pp 206, 207, pi. x. 



figs, la, 16, 1846. 

 Astrea cavernosa, A. radiata, and A. conferta Edw. and Haime, Ann. Sci. 



Nat., vol. X, pi. ix, figs. 1, la, vol. xii, pp. 97, 101, 102, 1850. 

 Heliastrcea conferta, H. cavernosa, and H. radiata, Edw. and Haime, Hist. 



Corall., ii, pp. 460, 463, 470, 1857. 

 Orbicella. cavernosa Verrill, Bull. Mus. Comp. Zool., i, p. 47, 1864. Proc. 



Boston Soc. Nat. Hist., x, p. 323, 1865. These Trans., x, p. 553, 1900. 



Ponrtales, Florida Reefs, p. 76, 1871. Qnelch, Reef Corals, Chall. Exp. . 



xvi, pp. 12, 106, 1886. 

 Orbicella radiata {pars), Gregory, Quart. Jour. Geol. Soc, Ii, p. 270, 1895. 

 Orbicella cavernosa Vanghan, op. cit. , p. 27, 1901 (Syn. and description). 

 Vauglian adds to the synonyms the following fossil forms described by Duncan: 



A. endothecata, A. cylindrica, A. antiguensis ? , A. intermedia, A. antil- 



larutn?, A. brevis. 



Much of the confusion in regard to the name of tliis species is 

 due to tlie fact that it was generally described and figured from 

 badly beach-worn specimens by the earlier writers. Such specimens 

 have the septa and calicles worn away and the hard exotheca thus 

 becomes prominent around the excavate calicles, so as to greatly 

 change the appearance of the coral. Another cause is the rather 

 wide variations in the size of the calicles. 



The normal or average specimens have the calicles about (J to 8""" 

 in diameter, but occasionally a specimen occurs in which pai't or all 

 of them may be 9-10™'", or rarely, even ii™ni in diameter. Some- 

 times, on crowded parts of large specimens, the diameter may be 

 only 4 to 5™"\ The degree of elevation of the calicles is also more 

 or less variable on a single specimen. 



The calicles may be pretty close together, where crowded, but in 

 other cases they are sepai-ated by spaces of 4 to 6™"" or more. The 

 costae are usually well developed as denticulated, rounded, radial 

 ribs, usually 48 in number. 



The septa are generally about 48, arranged in four regular cycles,^ 

 but several of those of the last cycle ai'e often rudimentary or lack- 

 ing, reducing the number to 40-44. They differ in breadth and 



