MATTHAI— RECENT COLONIAL ASTR^ID^ 117 



In the Hofmuseum, Vienna, are eight large specimens ("Pola" expedition), referred 

 by Marenzeller to G. halicora (Ehrb.). Without polyps it is difficult to decide if they 

 belong to Goniastrea or Favia. No. 15961 (20 x 19 x 16 cm.) resembles Klunzinger's 

 example of G. seychellensis ; the corallites on its side are circular or oval, shallow and 

 wider apart with peritheca between. Nos. 15928 and 15933 are somewhat similar to 

 Milne Edwards and Haime's example of Prionastrcea profundicella (perhaps a Goniastrea), 

 while No. 15929 agrees with these authors' type-specimens of Favia denticulata [ = F.favus 

 (Forsk.)]. No. 15934 is the largest specimen, measuring 35 X 35 X 16 cm., with also the 

 largest corallites. 



Distribution. Indian and Pacific Oceans. Cretaceous to recent (Eastman after 

 Zittel). 



1. Goniastrea solida (Milne Edwards and Haime). (PI. 10, fig. 1 ; 28, figs. 3 

 and 4 ; 31, fig. 1 ; 33, fig. 4 ; 38, fig. 3.) 



1830. Dipsastrea solida, Blainville, Diet. Sci. Nat., Ix, p. 338 ; Manuel d'ActinoL, p. 373. 



1850. Goniastrea solida (pars), Milne Edwards and Haime, Ann. Sci. Nat., Zool., 3^ ser., xii, p. 160 (non 



Madrepora solida, Forsk.). 

 1857. Goniastrcea solida (pars), Milne Edwards and Haime, Hist. Nat. Corall., ii, p. 444. 

 1879. Goniasl/rcea favus (pars), Klunzinger, Korall. Roth. Meer., iii, p. 35 (non Mad/repora favus, Forsk.) 

 1904. Goniastrcea solida, Gardiner, Fauna Geogr. Maldives and Laccadives, p. 772, pi. 62, fig. 28. 



Corallum. Massive, convex. Corallites never meandering. Inter-calicinal walls 

 1 or 1'5 mm. thick, sometimes rounded. Calices about 4 mm. in diameter, up to 4 mm. 

 deep, usually 3 or 3 '5 mm., shallower towards the edges. 



Septa slightly sloping or vertical, edges serrate, with sides spinulose, up to 32 in 

 number,' average 25 — 30, usually meeting the rudimentary septa of neighbouring corallites. 

 8 — 11 septa meeting in the centre; sometimes the pali-crown represented by the lower 

 thickened parts of their inner edges. Columella more or less compact, short, ^ — \ width 

 of calyx. 



Polyps, (l) In the stomodseal region 'of polyp, subsidiary couples of mesenteries, 

 about four or five times the number of principal couples. (2) In same region of polyp, 

 entocoelic pleats usually absent from principal mesenteries, when present very narrow 

 and not extending to outer one-third of width of mesentery ; pleatal region thickened. 

 (3) Nematocysts II h somewhat more numerous in the terminal tentacular batteries than 

 type I. (4) Nematocysts II c with the dark-stained axis about 5- length of sac. 



Remarks. A. Polyps. In the polyps examined, 5 or 6 principal couples of 

 mesenteries are present, of which 1 couple is incomplete, and 21 — 26 subsidiary couples, 

 the latter varying greatly in their width. Entocoelic pleats make their appearance below 

 the stomodaeal region of polyp but are short, thick and blunt. The convolutions of 

 mesenteries are abundant below the stomodseum, also protruded through the oral-disc. 

 The stomodseum is oval in transverse section, its diameters being about 1'25 mm. and 

 ■75 mm. ; its ridges are thicker than broad, with crowded nuclei, and with some nemato- 

 cysts I occurring in their lower halves. The ectoderm of the oral-disc is thin, resembling 

 that of Cyphastrea. The nematocysts I in the terminal batteries of the tentacles have 



