ZooL.— Vol. II.] ROBERTSON— ENTOPROCTA. 337 



III. Gonypodaria ramosa, sp. nov. 



Plate XVI, Figs. 13-16. 



Diagnosis. — Zoarium composed of a chitinous branched segmented stolon, 

 from each alternate segment of which stalks bearing polypides arise. Stalks 

 merosarcine, furnished at their base and at intervals along their length with 

 muscular dilatations from which branches proceed. 



G. 7'amosa was first obtained at Pacific Grove by Pro- 

 fessor H. P. Johnson of the University of California. It 

 has since been found at Fort Point and Land's End, Cali- 

 fornia, and on Channel Rocks, Puget Sound. A compari- 

 son of the colonies from these four localities leads one to 

 suspect that there may be more than one species among 

 them. They differ markedly in size and robustness of 

 calyx and stalk, and especially in the number of branches. 

 However, until more material can be obtained and further 

 investigation made, they will all be placed under one 

 species. 



A colon}^ of Gonypodaria ramosa presents an appearance 

 very unlike the typical Entoproct. The stiff stems project- 

 ing to an unusual height and surmounted by their white 

 calyces, the branching habit of growth and the stiff jerking 

 movements, all contribute to make this Pedicelline an unique 

 and interesting object of study. When examined closely 

 the stalks are found to have the power of movement con- 

 centrated at definite points in barrel-shaped expansions, 

 while the other portions are stiff and horny, and destitute 

 of muscle fibers. Figure 13 represents part of a colony of 

 G. ramosa and illustrates the characteristics mentioned 

 above. The possession of several bulbous dilatations in the 

 stalk places this form, at least provisionally, in the genus 

 Gonypodaria Ehlers. The only other species of the genus 

 known is G. nodosa Lomas (1886), described originally as 

 Pedicellina gracilis, var. nodosa, and afterwards as Ascopo- 

 daria nodosa. These two species, G. ramosa and G. nodosa, 

 differ in the number of muscular expansions on the stalk. 

 The latter has not more than three, while G. ramosa has 

 frequently four, five, or more. This in itself is not an 



