585 



MADREPHYLLKEA. 



MADREPOR^A. 



esc 



Section E. Cells roundish, approximate, sometimes irregular, 

 rather shallow ; the lamellae very distinct, cutting, complete, extended 

 over the rounded interstices ; masa encrusting or agglomerated. 



A. Ananai (Ellis and Sol., t. 47) is an example. 



Ananas. 



Section F. Siderastrcea. Cells superficial or shallow, iudefined, 

 with numerous very fine lamellae, radiating from an excavated centre, 

 aud continued to meet or even to join those of neighbouring cells. 



A. riiJTea (Ellis and Sol., t. 49) may be taken as an example. 



The fossil species are numerous, especially in the later Secondary 

 and Tertiary Rocks. 



De Blainville makes several groups of them according to the manner 

 of their growth. 



Section G. Dipsastraa. Of a globular figure ; cells profound, 

 infundibuliform, sub-polygonal, contiguous, with common partitions, 

 which are elevated, sulcated, and echinulated on the edges. 



A. dipiacea (Lamarck; Madrepora favosa, Ellis and Sol., t. 50) is 

 an example. 



There are fossil species in the Secondary and Tertiary Strata. 



Section H. Montcutrcea. In thick masses composed of tubular 

 cells, which acquire a polygonal figure from juxta-position ; their 

 edges not prominent ; the cavity not deep, furnished with numerous 

 lamella: united to a solid prominent axis. The known species are 

 fossiL 



Section I. Favaatrtza. In a thick mass composed of large polygonal 

 excavated cells, pluriradiate, depressed in the centre, and hollowed 

 towards the margin. (Acervularia of Schweigger ; Cyat/iopkyllum of 

 Qoldfuss.) 



Ooldfuss's generic name is much employed for fossils of the Silurian 

 Rocks. 



Recent, Attract magnifies; Indian Sea: Fossil, A. Baltica, De Bl. 

 (A. Ananat, Linn.) are examples. 



Mr. Lonsdale has proposed a new genus, allied to Cyathophyllum ; 

 and from its vesicular internal structure calls it Cystiphyltun. From 

 the Silurian Rocks. 



Section K. Slrombattrcea. In corticiform masses composed of 

 infundibuliform polygonal radiato-lamelliferous cells, which are 

 proliferous, or succeed one another vertically. Goldfuss calls the 

 group Strombodet. Its distinctness is doubted by De Blainville. 



Stromboda pcntagonut, Goldfuss, fossil, in the North American 

 limestone, may be taken as an example. 



Section L. Cdlaatrcea. Ths species of this group differ from the 

 Diptattraai principally by the fineness of their radiating lamella;, 

 aud by a peculiar cellular structure. The fossil species are found in 

 Tertiary Strata. 



A. incerta (SoL and Ellis t. 47, 3) is an example. 



In concluding his examination of the great genus Atlnea (which 

 includes several other genera adopted by Goldfuss, Schweigger, &c.), 

 De Blainville acknowledges the probable imperfection of the arrange- 

 ment above given, and notices the transitions which it presents to the 

 generic groups of Caryophyllia, Pavonia, Oculina, &c. Perhaps until 

 the relation of the lamelliferous cells to their contained polypi is 

 known from a very general investigation of recent types, zoologists 

 will do wisely not to propose new genera from ill-understood specimens 

 of ancient corals. 



Ethinattrccn Animals unknown, contained in raised cells which 

 are strongly radiated, rather irregular, echinulated, and occupy only 

 the upper surface of the coral. The mass is either fixed or free, 

 expanded into a lobate or reflexed plate, internally echinated, striated, 

 but not porous externally. 



Part of Explanaria, Lamarck, is included in this new group, as 

 well as Echinophura, of that author. 



K. ringera (Lamarck) may be taken as an example. 



Jiranchiulnca. Animals unknown ; the cells which contained them 

 are of a cylindrical figure, channeled internally, prominent, radiating 

 from the general mass, and united into a ramose, cylindrical, solid 

 coral. Only one species, ]). limbata (Goldfuss, t. 8, f. 7) ; from the 

 Jura Limestone, Suabia. 



Oculina. Animals unknown, contained in regular, round, radiated 

 cells, more or less prominent, and scattered on the surface of a solid, 

 compact, arborescent, fixed polypidom. 



Lamarck established the genus ; Schweigger has united it to Aatnna, 

 and Qoldfuss to Caryophyllia. 



0. axillari* (Ellis and Sol., t. 13, f. 5) is an example. 



0. prolifcra has been taken in Zetland. [POLYPIFERA.] 



Oculina axillaris. 



MADREPOR^EA, the second section of the Stony Zoantharia of De 

 Blainville, and placed by him after Madrephyllicea. [MADKEPHYLLICEA.] 



The corals of this section are generally arborescent, with small 

 partially lamelliferous cells, and constantly porous in the interstices 

 and walls of the cells. This last is the most important character. 

 The Lamarckian genus Madrepora included many of the genera of 

 De Blainville. 



Deniipora. Animals unknown ; cells deep, circular, mammillated, 

 furnished with 10 dentiform lamelltC prominent towards the margins, 

 scattered in the polypidom, which is compact, expanded, its parts anas- 

 tomosing together, and echinulated with strong interstitial tubercles. 



The species are ranked with Ocvlina by Ehrenberg and earlier authors. 



D. virginea (Ellis and Sol., t. 36) may be taken as an example. 



Dantipora virginea. . 

 a, magnified ; l>, section of the lamcllifcrous cell. 



Aitrceopora. Animals unknown (probably provided with a single 

 crown of 12 tentacula) : the cells which contained them are prominent, 

 mamillary, internally sulcated, and irregularly scattered on the surface 

 of the polypidom, which is extremely porous aud echinulated, enlarged 

 into thin expansions. Astrcea myriopktltalma of Lamarck belongs to 

 this genus. 



Sideropora. Animals unknown ; cells deep, immersed, circular or 

 sub-hexagonal, with six deep notches at the border, and a prominent 

 central axis, irregularly dispersed ou the arborescent, palmated, finely 

 granulated, but not porous polypidom. Several of Lamarck's Parties 

 are placed in this group. S. digitata is an example. 



Stylopora. Animals unknown ; cells with few lobes at the circum- 

 ference, internally striated, with a pistilliform axis, irregularly aggre- 

 gated into an arborescent or subpalmated fixed polypariuin, whose 

 interstices are porous and eehinulated. 



