II4 ZOOLOGY FOR MEDICAL STUDENTS CHAP. 



that tin- mouth opening becomes divided up into a row 



o7 ;, In such a case the individual thecae instead of 



elongated (Fig. 52, D and E) and in extreme cases 



omc ver) greatly drawn out and pursuing a tortuous course 



O f coral an appearance resembling that of the human 



brain (" Brain Corals "- -Fig. 52. 10- 



In the Mushroom coral (FungiaFig. 53) a reproductive process 



OUng that seen in the stn.bili/ation of the scyphistoma takes place, 



the rim of the oip-shapedtheca spreading out trumpet-fashion (Fig. 53, B) 



FIG. 52. 

 H 'hyllia; B, Lophohelia ; C, Solcmstraca ; D, Dichocaenia ; 



and event ually forming a flat disc which with the upper part of the 



off and becomes independent, the process being repeated 



again. The adult Fungia, cut off in this fashion, lies 



n the sea bottom, the theca being a flat disc with the septa 



radial in- outwards on its upper surface (Fig. 53, C). 



ralSj including some of the commonest branching corals or 

 what is termed perforate the wall of the theca being 

 . numerous openings which give it a spongy character. In 

 '. lie addition of calcium carbonate to the rim of the theca is 

 by tubular connexions between the main wall of the polyp 



