1O 



4. Gorgonella rigida new species. (Plate I, figs. 3, 3*; Plate X, fig. 2). 



Stat. 50. Bay of Badjo, West coast of Flores. Up to 40 meters. 



Stat. 204. 4 20' S., 1 22 5 8' E. 7594 meters. 



Stat. 260. s36'.5S., i3255'.2E. 90 meters. 



Stat. 305. Mid channel in Solor Strait off Kampong Menanga. 113 meters. 



Colony incomplete, the basal portion and two large branches being present, flabellate 

 in form. The root forms a lobular mass growing over a pebble. Main stem to first branch 

 14 mm. long and 1.9 mm. in diameter, round in section. The first branch is large, and grows 

 outward and then curves downward and outward again, and attains a length of 4.6 cm. It 

 gives off four stiff branchlets from its upper side, three of which give off branchings of the 

 3 rd order. Above the first branch the main stem gives off three branches on one side and 

 two on the other. The lower of these latter is a large branch which gives off two branchlets 

 from its lower side (one of which is compound) and three from its upper side (one of which 

 is compound). There are no anastomoses and the branches are all stiff and rigid. One side or 

 face of the branches is devoid of calyces. 



The calyces are alternate in position, but are not strictly lateral, being turned toward 

 the face of the colony. The distance between calyces is about 1.3 mm. on the average. The 

 axis is densely calcareous. 



The individual calyces are low, dome-shaped verrucse, one measuring .7 mm. in height 

 and 1.3 mm. in diameter. When the polyp is retracted the calyx mouth is entirely obliterated, not 

 leaving the rosette pattern of lobes often seen in allied forms. The mouth is indicated, however, 

 by a spot of darker red color. The tentacles are heavily spiculated with tuberculate spindles. 



Spicules. These are double heads, spindles and girdled spindles. All of these are 

 more densely covered with tubercles than is the case in G. orientalis, and the spindles are 

 stouter. Otherwise the spicules are much the same in the two species. 



Color. The colony is a rather light scarlet, or coral red throughout. The calyx mouths 

 are darker red, verging on crimson. 



The differences in habit of growth, size of calyces and in the spicules seem sufficient 

 to justify the separation of this form from G. orientalis and other members of the genus. It 

 is near G. distans, Studer, but differs in the disposition of the calyces, which are in three to 

 four rows in G. disians and in thickness of stem and branches. 



Genus Verrucella Milne Edwards et Haime. 



Verrucella (in part) Milne Edwards et Haime. Hist. Nat. des Coralliaires, I, 1857, p. 184. 



Verrucella Duchassaing et Michelotti. Memoire sur les Coralliaires des Antilles, 1860, p 33. 



Verrucella Kolliker. Icones Histiologies, II, 1865, p. 140. 



Verrucella Studer. Versuch eines Systemes der Alcyonaria, 1887, p. 68. 



Verrucella Wright and Studer. Challenger Reports, the Alcyonaria, 1889, p. LXVI. 



Verrucella Studer. Alcyonaires provenant des Campagnes de 1'Hirondelle, 1901, p. 54. 



Verrucella Delage et Herouard. Traite des Zoologie concrete, II, 2, 1901, p. 429. 



