MATTHAI— RECENT COLONIAL ASTR^ID^ 39 



Giant corallites* occasionally present, 2-5 — 3 mm. in diameter, with from sixteen to 

 twenty septa meeting columella (PL 12, fig. 2). 



Polyps. Small, average height 25 mm. and width 1-25 mm., bearing distinct edge- 

 zones. Mesenteries constituting two cycles, each typically of six couples, number of 

 secondaries sometimes incomplete. Primaries with filaments, secondaries with or without 

 rudimentary filaments. Tentacles of six entoccelic primaries, six entocoelic secondaries 

 and twelve exocoelic tertiariesf. Every tentacle with a terminal battery, sub-terminal 

 ones present or absent. Stomodaeum oval, with two siphonoglyphes ; its ridges not well 

 developed, broader than thick. Entocoelic pleats of primary mesenteries variable in size 

 and shape. A single ripe gonad on each primary mesentery. Genus comparatively 

 homogeneous. Multiplication by budding. 



Duchassaing and Michelotti'sJ three species — Chypastrea ohlita, Solenastrea ellisii 

 and Solenastrea micans do not appear to belong to the present genus ; in the figure 

 (PL IX, fig. 10) of the last species the corallites are over 6 mm. in diameter, and more than 

 twelve septa meet the columella. 



A small specimen from Mactan Island, referred by Quelch to Cyphastrea pleiades, is, 

 unlike Madrepora pleiades, Ell. and Sol., an undoubted Cyphastrea, but owing to its worn 

 condition it is impossible to make out its specific characters. 



Distribution. Red Sea, Indian and Pacific Oceans. 



1. Cyphastrea serailia (Forskal). (PL 7, fig. 4; PL 11, figs. 1—9; PL 13, fig. 8 ; 

 PL 38, figs. 1 and 5.) 



1775. Madrepora serailia (pars), Forsk&l, Descr. anim. in Itin. Orient., p. 135. 



1834. Favia microphthalma, Ehrenberg, Corall. roth. Meer., p. 93 (non Astrea microphthalma, Lamarck). 



1850. Cyphastrea? hottm (pars), Milne Edwards and Haime, Ann. Sci. Nat., Zool., 3" ser., xii, p. 115. 



1 1850. Solenastrea sarcinula, Milne Edwards and Haime, Ann. Sci. Nat., Zool., 3" ser., xii, p. 122. 



1857. Gyphastrcea bottai, Milne Edwards and Haime, Hist. Nat. Corall., ii, p. 486. 



1 1857. Solenastrma sarcinula, Milne Edwards and Haime, Hist. Nat. Corall., ii, p. 497, D 6, figs. 2«s — c. 



1877. . Gyphastrcea capitata, Studer, Monat. Ak. Wiss. Berlin, p. 639.. 



1879. Gyphastrcea incrustans, Klunzinger Korall. Roth. Meer., iii, p. 53 (non Madrepora, incrustans, Forsk§,l). 



1904. Gyphastrcea for skcelana, Gardiner, Fauna Geogr. Maldives and Laccadives, ii, p. 778. 



1907. Cyphastrea forskaliana, Vaughan, Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus. Washington, xxxii, p. 253, pis. 19, 20, figs. 1 

 and 2, 22, figs. 1—3. 



Corallum. Incrusting or raised into humps. Peritheca vesicular with a few low 

 rough scattered spines, walls of vesicles thin. Corallites 1 — 3 mm. apart, projecting about 

 "75 mm., rarely 2 mm. Calices 1"5 — 2'5 mm. in diameter, interior somewhat obscured 

 owing to thickness and spinous nature of septa. Septa somewhat exsert, sides with low 

 pointed spines, inner margins with short teeth, first two orders sloping obliquely to meet 

 columella ; secondaries generally thinner than primaries. Costse not prominent. Colu- 

 mella finely trabecular with short upright rods projecting into calyx. 



Polyps, (l) Secondary entocoelic tentacles absent. (2) Sub-terminal batteries 

 absent from all tentacles. (3) Entoccelic pleats extremely narrow and blunt, not 



* See Jeffrey Bell "On the variations observed in large masses of Turbinaria," Jour. Roy. Micr. Soc., 1895, 

 pp. 148—9. 



t C. seralia is an exception as it has no secondary entocoelic tentacles. 

 J Memoire Corall. Antill., Turin, p. 77 (1860). 



