10 STENOCYATHUS. 



Stenocyathus vermiformis Pourt. 



Cmnnri/atltiis i-crmiformis, PouRT. Bull. ]Mus. Comp. Zool., No. 7. 



Plate I, figs. 1 and 2; Plate III, fig.s. 11, 12, and 13. 



Corallum very elongated, cylindrical. Costal indicated only by 

 lines of very flat tubercles. Calicle circular, .shallow. Septa rather 

 thick, flexuose, not exsert, in .six systems of three cycles. Pali 

 thick, curled, in front of the secondary septa. Frequently one of 

 the systems remains incomplete, and there are tlien but iive paii. 

 Columella of a single twisted process. The older parts of the coralhun 

 are nearly filled up by the thickening of the septa, but the process is 

 never carried out to a total obliteration of the interseptal chambers, 

 which can be traced in the shape of slender canals to the very base. 



The costal tubercles are hollow, and coiumunicate through narrow 

 canals with the interseptal chambers. These little cavities are no 

 doultt homologous to the hollow roots of Rhizotrochus, Thecocyathus, 

 and other genera of the famih', Init here their iise is not apparent. 

 (See Plate 111., fig. 13, representing part of a horizontal section passing 

 through these cavities.) 



A singularity is the frequent occurrence of specimens having a 

 living and growing polyp at either end (Plate III., fig. 11). These 

 specimens are generally somewhat curved, ha^'ing• apparently been 

 lying in tlio mud witli both ends turned up and projecting. A 

 longitudinal section shows no interruption in the continuity of the 

 interseptal chambers from one end to the other, so that the diges- 

 tive cavity is probably common to both polyps. 



Height, 2.5 to 4 cm. ; diameter, 2 to 3 mm. 



oil' Booa Grauilc, in 125 fiitlioms. 

 Off Key West, in 1 35 tatlioms. 

 Off Key West, in 138 fathoms. 

 Off Sombrero, in 152 fathoms. 

 Oil" Sand Key, in 154 fathoms. 

 Off Tennc^'see Reef, in 174 fathoms. 

 OH Bahia Honda, in 176 fathoms. 

 Off Sombrero, in 183 fathoms. 



