MADREPORA. 77 



63. Madrepora haimei. 



Madrefora haimei, M.-Edwards & Haime, Coralliaires, t. iii. p. 151 ; Klunzinger, Korallenth. d. roth. 

 Meeres, Th. ii. p. 21, pi. i. fig. 9, pi. v. fig. 4, pi. ix. fig. 16 ; Mcibius, Beitr. z. Moeresfauiia 

 Mauritius, p. 45 ; Ortmann, Zool. JB. 1888, Bd. iii. p. 152 (non Briiggemann, Phil. Trans. 

 1879, vol. clxviii. p. 575). 

 Madrepora arbuscula, Vorrill {non Dana), Bull. AIus. Comp. Zoo]. 1864, vol. i. p. 40. 



Milne-Edwards's type of this species consists of a fine cespitose clump, 25 cm. high 

 and about 35 cm. broad. Main branches over 2 cm. diameter, becoming divided into two or 

 three little spreading branches, with numerous subdivisions near the apex. The sudden 

 taper near the apex of the branchlets, caused by the corallites surrounding the axial one 

 being very small, whilst those a little below are much longer, is very marked in Red Sea 

 specimens, but in those from other localities the taper is often gradual. Axial corallites 2 to 

 3 mm. diameter, and 1*5 to 3 mm. exsert ; wall moderately thick. Radial corallites spreading, 

 tubular, with an oblique aperture ; some are 4 mm. long and scarcely 2 mm. diameter ; but 

 a large number are shorter, smaller, or subimmersed. The corallites at the margin of the 

 colony are in some specimens often unusually long, 5 to 6 mm., with a circular aperture. 

 Corallum moderately porous ; surface echinulate, sometimes rather spongy ; wall substriate 

 and echinulate. 



The species varies considerably in habit. According to Klunzinger, the most frequent 

 form is cespitose, with much divided and little-spreading branches, 6 to 8 cm. high ; at 

 other times more arborescent, 15 cm. or more in height, with the branches divided to the 

 base. A flattened depressed form, similar to M. pyramidalis, var. depressa, also occurs. 



Ortmann states {loc. cit. p. 152) that a specimen from Singapore, referred by Verrill to 

 M. arbuscula, belongs to this species. 



Indo-Pacific Ocean : Red Sea, ? Diego Garcia, Maldive Islands, Ceylon, Mauritius, 

 Singapore, Fiji. 



a. Koseir, Red Sea. Dr. Klunzinger [C.]. 86.10.5.50. 



b. Galles, Ceylon. Dr. Oadaatje [P.]. 83. 4. 26. 4. 



?c. Diego Garcia. G. C. Bourne, Esq. [P.]. 91. 4 9. 3. 



d. ? MantellColl. 41.1.13.15. 



e-ff. ? ■? 93. 4. 7. Ill to 113. 



h, i. Mauritius. Purchased. 78. 2. 4. 2 & 5 : 



y,*. ? ? 40. 5. 15. 21 & 2?. 



/. Maldive Islands. Purchased. 86. 11. 22. 9. 



64. Madrepora retasa. 



Madrepora retusa, Dana, Zoophytes, p. 462 ; M.-Edwards & Haime, CoraJlaires, t. iii. p. 154 ; Quelch, 



'Challenger' Eeef Corals, p. 153; Eathbun, Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus. 1887, vol. x. p. 18. 

 Madrepora planiaginea, Quelch (non Lamarck), ' Challenger ' Eeef Corals, p. 153. 



Corallum small, cespitose, 12 cm. high and broad, consisting of irregular digitiform 



M 



