184 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



Class ANTHOZOA. 



Suborder ZOANTHARIA SCLERODERMATA (or MADREPORARIA). 

 Section MADREPORARIA APOROSA, 



Family TUEBINOLID^ (part) Edwards and Haime. 



Genus DESMOPHYLLUM Ehrenberg. 



DESMOPHYLLUM WILLCOXI Gane. 



(Plate XV, figs. 1-3.) 



1895. Desmophyllum willcoxi Gane, Johns Hopkins Univ. Circ, XV, No. 12, October, 

 1895, p. 9. 



Corallum quite variable in shape, more or less compressed, conical, 

 attached at base by a moderately long pedicle, which may be either 

 broad or narrow. Surface of the wall and costal ridges smooth, at times 

 showing the development of an epitheca. Costse well developed, cor- 

 responding to all septa, more prominent near the calicular margin, 

 margins not acute, some granulations over the surface. The summits 

 of the calice in the shorter diameter are higher than in the longer. 

 The margin of the calice is irregularly dentate. The interior of the wall 

 coarsely pitted here and there between the septa. There are six sys- 

 tems of septa with four well-developed cycles, and a fifth rudimentary. 

 The septa are exsert, rather stout, thicker near the wall and in the 

 vicinity of the base of the calicular fossa; they are generally straight 

 but often curved, with granulated sides, and the surface often shows 

 quite distinct striations. In well-preserved specimens the fossa is deep 

 and narrow, and the free margins of the septa at the base of the fossa 

 often form by means of small rod-like projections a sort of columella as 

 in Flabellum. 



Such a pseudocolumella similar to that found in the present species 

 is described by Mr. H. IST. Mosely ' in his report on the " Deep Sea Madre- 

 poraria" as occurring in the Desmophyllum ingens from the fjords of 

 western Patagonia. 



This species is respectfully dedicated to Mr. Joseph Willcox, of Phila- 

 delphia. 



Dimensions. — The dimensions of the largest specimen are : Height, 28 

 mm. ; greatest length and least width of calice, respectively, 32 and 

 25 mm. The calices of the majority of the specimens are, however, 

 more compressed than in this one. 



Geological horizon. — Upper Oligocene. 



Locality. — Ballast Point, Tampa Bay, Florida. 



Collections. — Wagner Free Institute of Science, and in the private 

 cabinet of Mr. Joseph Willcox, of Philadelphia. 



^Challenger Expedition, Zoology, II, Pt. 7. Eeport on certain Hydroid, Alcyo- 

 uarian, and Madreporarian corals procured during the voyage of H. M. S. Challentjer, 

 in the years 1873-1876, p. 161. 



