THOMSON AND RUSSELL — AXLPERA. 159 



Along with M. purpurea, at the same locality, there were found two other dark red 

 torms — Siphonogorgia mirabilis and Acamptogorgia ceylonensis. 

 Some of the polyps contain large reproductive bodies. 

 LocaUtij. Providence, (D 4) 50-7S fms. and (D8) 125 fms. 

 Previously recorded from Funafuti ( Whitelegge, 1897). 



38. Muricella rubra, Thomson. (Plate 6. figs. 1 & 5 ; Plate 13. fig. 17.) 

 Por description see : — 



Thomson i Ceylou Pearl Oyster Fisheries, Supplementary Keport xxviii. Alcyonaria. Appendix, 



1905, p. 179. 

 Thomson and Simpson : Report on the Alcyonarians collected by the ' Investigator' in the Indian 



Ocean, pt. ii. 1909. 



The largest specimen is an almost complete colony, branching irregularly in one 

 plane, with a total height of 8 cm. The axis has a diameter of 2'5 mm. at the base. 

 The polyps are mainly confined to one face of the colony. The eight-rowed arrangement 

 of the spicules in the verrucse is very marked. 



Localihj. Providence, 50 fms. 



Previously recorded from the Ceylon seas ; Andamans, off Ganjam coast, 18 fms. 



Genus ELASMOGORGIA. 



39. Elasmogorgia filiformis, Wright and Studer. 



Eor description see : — 



Wright and Studer : 'Challenger' Reports, xxxi. 1889, p. 133, pi. 23. fig. 10, pi. 27. fig. 17. 

 Hickson: "Alcyonaria of the Maldives," pt. iii., in 'Fauna and Geography of the Maldive and 



Laccadive Archipelagoes,' vol. ii. pt. 4, 1903, pp. 814-815, figs. 5, 6, 7. 

 Thomson and Simpson: Alcyonaria collected by the 'Investigator' in the Indian Ocean, pt. ii. 



1909. 



A single incomplete specimen, 95 cm. high, with a diameter of l-75-2'5 mm. The 

 coenenchyma is pure white ; the axis is dark brown and highly flexible. The polyps 

 occur at rather wide intervals and alternating on the two sides of the brandies ; they 

 are completely retracted into low, rounded calyces. The spicules are for the most part 

 broad spindles, with numerous prominent finely tubercled warts (•306X"119, '235 X '136, 

 "153 X '068 mm.). In many cases these spicules are so broad that they can no longer 

 be described as spindles, and they may show broad lateral expansions. There are 

 also numerous smaller simpler spindles, with few prominent warts ('221 X '068, 

 ■153x034 mm.). 



The spicules are smaller than those described for Elasmogorgia fdiformis, and difl^er in 

 certain particulars. But our specimen is small and imperfect, and we do not think that 

 there is sufficient evidence to warrant a new species. 



Locality. Amirante, 32 fms. 



Previously recorded from Arafura Sea, south of Papua, 28 fms. j Ganjam coast, 

 28-30 fms. 



