94 MARINE BIOLOGY OF THE SUDANESE RED SEA. 



upper surface lobes arise to a height varying from 0"5 mm. to 7 mm. 

 The smaller lobes are wart-like. An older colony, shaped like a halE-moon. 

 carries on its convex npper surface several lobe;*, the largest attaining a 

 height of 2 cm. ; these lobes have numerous digitate branches up to 7 mm. 

 in length with a breadth of about 4 mm. 



The spicules agree closely with the description given by Miss Pratt 

 (Alcyonaria of the Maldives, p. 527), and consist of clubs which average 

 0"06 to O'l mm. in length by 0"02 to 0'06 mm. in breadth, and spindles 

 l)'16 to 0*2 mm. in length by 0'06 mm. in breadth. 



The tuberculate spicules are about 3 mm. long and 0'8 to 1 mm. broad. 



The colour of a colony in spirit is light to dark brown : during life it was 

 dull chocolate. 



Locality. — Very abundant locally in reef gaps due south of Shubuk. 

 Previously recorded from the Maldives. 



SCLEROPHYTUM QUERCIFORME, Pratt. (Plate 8. fig. 1.) 

 See E. M. Pratt, 1903, loc. cit. p. 530. 



Several fine colonies of this species are included in the collection. The 

 specimen photographed (PI. 8. fig. 1) has a short wrinkled and furrowed 

 trunk, somewhat compressed laterally. 



The branches come off rather abruptly from the stem and pass almost 

 imperceptibly into a mnch branched capitulum. 



As the photograph suggests, the colonies tend to be more complex than 

 Miss Pratt's figure (Alcyonaria of the Maldives, pi. xxxi. fig. 33) would lead 

 one to suppose. 



The spicules of the capitulum are very various, comprising tuberculate 

 spindles similar to those of the trunk though smaller, spinose spindles and 

 clubs. 



The following measurements were taken of length and breadth in milli- 

 metres : — 



Spinose spindles : 0-32x003; 0-28 x 0-03; 0-25 x 0-03; 0-18 x 0-02. 

 Clubs: 0-23 X 0-02; 0-22 X 0-03; 0-2 x 004; 0-18 X 0-02; 0-015 x 0-04; 

 014 X 0-04 ; 0-12 x 0-03 ; 0-08 x 0-03. 



The spicules of the trunk are tuberculate spindles, rarely forked, besides 

 clubs and spinose spindles. The tuberculate spicules vary greatly in size, the 

 largest being about 5 mm. by 0-7 mm. 



The following are the measurements of the colony represented in the 

 photograph : — Breadth of trunk at base, 3-5 cm. ; breadth of capitulum, 

 85 cm. ; height of capitulum, 4-5 cm. 



The colour of the colony in spirit is light to dark brown ; when alive it 

 was purple-slate. 



[54] 



