CORALS FROM MURRAY, COCOS-KEELING, AND FANNING ISLANDS. 83 



" Caryophyllice fastigiata proxima; difFert ramis extiis glabriusculis et stellae centre pro- 

 fundissimo. Icon ramos extremos exhibet. Animal actinioides, luteo-brunnescens, sum- 

 mam ramoruni partem basi corporis brevis complectens, tentaculis numerosissimis apice 

 capitatis extensilibiis et contractilibus. Animali irritato tentacula pigre eriguntur, deflec- 

 tuntur etc. Pigre quoque extenduntur et contrahuntiir, neque omnia motu consentaneo. 

 Os centrale nos fugit, adest autem sine dubio. Animal sensin findi et in animalia duo vel 

 tria dividi videtur, unde trunci dichotomia et trichotomia." 



Plate 26, figure 2, so well represents Dana's type of Euphyllia riignsa (No. 

 88, U. S. Nat. Mus.), that a detailed description appears unnecessary. 



The U. S. National Museum contains about 60 specimens of this species from 

 the Philippine Islands, mostly from Zamboanga. The suite shows that the promi- 

 nence of the costae near the calicular margins, a character to which Dana attached 

 considerable importance, is not of specific value. The costae may be prominent 

 on some and obsolete on other branches in the same colony. It seems to me that 

 Euphyllia laxa Gravier' is only a variant which grows in a slightly deeper water 

 (15 meters). 



The specimens (plate 26, figs. 3, 3a) collected by Dr. Mayer are all stunted or 

 evidently unhealthy, but can be matched in the Philippine suite. Some costae 

 are usually prominent near the calicular margins. The coralla are often incrusted 

 by Lithoth amnion up to or almost to the calicular edges. 



Stations, Murray Island. — Southeast reef, line I: 



600 feet from shore; water 15 inches deep; bottom sandy. 

 800 feet from shore; water 11 inches deep; bottom hard, rocky. 

 820 feet from shore; water 10 inches deep; bottom broken coral. 

 1,000 feet from shore; water 17 inches deep. 



Distribution. — Fiji Islands; Philippines; Amboina (Bedot, Quelch); Murray 

 Islands; Minikoi and throughout the Maldive group (Gardiner). It has been 

 stated that Euphyllia laxa Gravier from the Gulf of Tadjourah is almost certainly 

 a synonym of this species. The distribution would therefore be from the east 

 coast of Africa to the Fiji Islands. 



Gardiner says: 



"The colonies of this species may generally be found in hollows towards the inner side 

 of the reef-flat or in protected situations where there is no sand or mud, both at Minikoi 

 and throughout the Maldive group. Where it occurs, as to the south of Hulule, it is exceed- 

 ingly abundant, but is nowhere a reef-builder. Color, dull green." - 



The habit of this species is very similar to that of Eusmilia fastigiata (Pallas) 

 in Florida and the West Indies. Both belong to closely related genera. 



Euphyllia fimbriata (Spengler). 

 Plate 27, figures 1, la, two views of Dana's type of Euphyllia lurgida; figure 2, Dana's type of Euphyllia mtandrina. 



1799. Madrepora fimbriata Spengler, Saml. Videnskab. selskabs Skrifter, 2d ser., vol. ;, pp. 607-614, plate 



opposite p. 614. 



1846. Euphyllia turgida Dana, U. S. Expl. Exped., Zooph., p. 166, plate g, figs. 9a, gi. 



1846. Euphyllia meandrina Dana, U. S. Expl. Exped., Zooph., p. 167, plate 6, figs. 4, 4(7, \b. 



1848. Ltptosmilia ramosa Milne Edwards and Haime, Ann, Sci. nat., 3d. ser., vol. 10, p. 268, plate 6, fig. I. 



1848. Rhipidogyra daniana Milne Edwards and Haime, Ann. Sci. nat., 3d ser., vol. 10, p. 281, plate 6, fig. 6. 



1857. Euphyllia turgida Milne Edwards and Haime, Hist. nat. Corall., vol. 2, p. 193. 



1857. Euphyllia fimbriata Milne Edwards and Haime, Hist. nat. Corall., vol. 2, p. 195. 



1886. Euphyllia lurgida Quelch, Reef Corals, Challenger Reports, p. 75. 



1904. Euphyllia turgida Gardiner, Fauna and Geogr. Maldive and Laccadive .^rch., vol. 2, p. 759. 



1907. Euphyllia fimbriata Bedot, Madreporaires d'Amboine, p. 160, plate 9, 2S-34. 



1907. Euphyllia picteti Bedot, Madreporaires d'Amboine, p. 161, plate 10, figs. 35-38. 



1907. Euphyllia picteti var. flexuosa Bedot, Madreporaires d'Amboine, p. 164, plate 10, figs. 39, 40. 



'Ann. Inst. Oceanogr., vol. 2, fasc. 3, p. 31, pi. 2, figs. 5-8, 191 1. 

 'Fauna and Geogr. Maldive and Laccadive Arch., vol. 2, p. 759. 



