THE ANNALS 



AND 



MAGAZINE OF NATURAL HISTORY. 



[SIXTH SERIES.] 

 No. 2. FEBRUARY 1 



IX. — On some new Species of the Genus Spongodes, Less., 

 from the Philippine Islands and the Japanese Seas. By 

 Dr. Th. Studer, Berne. 



The following new species form part of a collection of Alcyo- 

 naria collected by Dr. Doederlein in the Japanese seas, also a 

 specimen from the Philippine Islands kindly communicated 

 to me by Professor Semper, of Wiirzburg. 



I am greatly indebted to these gentlemen for having com- 

 municated their materials to me for description. 



Spongodes Semper i^ n. sp. 



A thick, cylindrical, barren trunk, the base of which is fixed 

 in the sand by means of stolons ; from its upper end, which is 

 bounded by a circular fold covered on the margin witii polyps, 

 it gives off a number of conical branches. These together 

 form a rounded head, the middle branches being higher than 

 the lower ones. Each branch is covered with relatively large 

 polyp-heads, each of which is surmounted by a bundle of 

 spicules. These heads are arranged on the branches in close 

 spirals, the branches thus acquiring the form of spikes. The 

 colony is rigid j the wall of the trunk is incrusted with large 

 spindle-shaped spicules. 



Colour in spirit greyish white. 



Locality. Philippine Islands. Collected by Prof. Semper. 

 Ann. & Mag. N. Hist. Ser. 6, Vol. i. 6 



