1 1 



Verrucella Hickson. Alcyonaria of the Maldives, 1905, p. 817. 

 Verrucella Nutting. Descriptions of Hawaiian Alcyonaria, 1908, p. 597. 



The original definition of this genus is as follows : 



" Polypieroide tres rameux, sclerenchyme assez epais. Calyces a bords verruciformes tres- 

 saillants". 



DUCHASSAING et MiCHELLOTTi (1860) accept the genus, but do not define it. KGLLIKER 

 (1865) restricts 'the genus by separating from it Juncella gemmacea (Verrucella gemmacea 

 Milne Edwards) and is the first to give careful attention to the spicules. A free translation of 

 his definitiod follows : 



"Axis calcareous, without lamellae. Calyces very pronounced warts. The strongly calca- 

 reous bases of the tentacles forming an 8-rayed star within calyx opening. Spicules of the 

 ccenenchyma beset with rounded and conical verrucae ; double heads with transitions to double 

 and simple spindles (in two species with little thorny double stars). Polyp spicules flattened, 

 small warty spindles and double spindles . 1 2 to .20 mm. long, also found in the ccenenchyma, 

 besides many small simple spindles". 



STUDER (1887) and WRIGHT and STUDER (1889) adopt the definition of KOLLIKER without 

 material change. I find no subsequent discussion of the genus which adds anything of impor- 

 tance as to generic characters. The definition adopted for the present work is simply a 

 condensation and modification of that given by KOLLIKER, as follows : 



Gorgonellidae with calcareous, usually homogeneous axis ; colony variously branched but 

 never simple ; calyces verruciform, their distal portions rounded and including an 8-rayed star 

 formed by the heavily spiculated tentacle bases. Spicules mainly double heads and girdled 

 spindles intergrading with simple spindles. 



The type species of this genus is hard to determine. The first species named by MILNE 

 EDWARDS and HAIME is Verrucella violacea ; but this species is correctly regarded by KOLLIKER 

 as not belonging to the genus or family, but to the family Gorgonidse. This being the case 

 it seems safer to the present writer to indicate as the type Verrucella guadeloupensis Duch. et 

 Mich., which conforms strictly to the definition of the genus and is the first species mentioned 

 by KOLLIKER who was the first to define the genus according to modern methods. Other 

 species are Verrucella bicolor Nutting, V. Candida Ridley, V. flexuosa (Lamarck), ? V.furcata 

 (Lamarck), V. grant/era Kolliker, V. giiernei Studer, V. rubra Thomson and Henderson and 

 the new species about to be described. 



i. Verriicella rubra Thomson and Henderson. 



Verrucella rubra Thomson and Henderson. Ceylon Pearl Oyster Report, The Alcyonaria, 

 1905, p. 314. 



Stat. 310. 8 30' S., U97'.5E. 73 meters. 



Colony (incomplete) sparingly branched in a straggling manner, 19. 5 cm. high. Stem 

 and branches of about equal diameter (1.5 mm.) troughout. The stem forks about 2.4 cm. 

 from its proximal end. One of the resultant branches sends off a very short simple branchlet 



