AVITHIN THE GENUS BENDRONEPHTHYA, 



69 



blunt thorns, often compound. There are also numerous irregular 

 bodies, but no distinct stars were seen. 



Deduction : — I agree with Kiikenthal in regarding D. pumilio 

 as near to D. spinosa if not identical with it. 



Localities: — Stations 99, 258, 315. 



18. Dendroneplithya coronata (Wr. &, Stud.). 



Described by Wright & Studer in Rep. Sc. Res. ' Challenger,' 

 vol. xxxi. pp. 212-213 (1889). 



Diagnosis : — Umbellate ; polyps not grouped in small hemi- 

 spherical heads ; outline uniform ; polyps in small loose bundles 

 of 3-5 ; polyp stalks medium ; supporting bundle very strong ; 

 point spicules 3-4, the upper pair markedly projecting ; crown of 

 three rows of roughly horizontal spindles ; grade V. ; spicules : 

 cortex of the stem shows stout, thick spindles strongly tuberculate, 

 also triradiates, quadiradiates, and irregular forms ; colour : 

 generally whitish, polyp spicules clear amber-yellow, supporting 

 bundles strong purplish red. 



Anthocodial Grade and Formula : — 



V. = 3-4 p + 3 Or + very strong S. B. 

 Descriptive Notes : — 



1. Colony as a whole. Three colonies with polyps in distinct 

 umbels, but not grouped in small hemispherical heads and forming 

 as a whole a fairly uniform outline, agree in general with 

 D. coronata, especially as revised by Kiikenthal. They belong to 

 h\sf orida group of Umbellatse, being slightly flattened in a lon- 

 o-itudinal oval and showing a convex upper surface to the umbels. 



2. Branching. The branches of the stem lead to the formation 

 of large hemispherical masses of polyps. 



3. Colouring. The general colour of 

 the colonies is whitish, tending at the 

 base to become red. One of the speci- 

 mens showed a slightly different colour- 

 scheme, having whitish instead of amber 

 polyp spicules, but the same tendency to 

 purplish red. 



4. Folyp stalks never attain a length 

 of 2 mm. 



5. Polyps in small, loose bundles of 

 3-5. 



6. Polyp spicules are clear amber- 

 yellow. The anthocodial armature shows 

 3-4 pairs of curved, thorny spindles 

 en chevron, the upper pair markedly pro- 

 jecting over the base of the tentacles, below these is a crown of 

 several rows of roughly horizontal spindles, and below these 

 aoain are larger purplish spicules forming part of the suppoi'tmg 

 bundle. 



Text-fis:. 25. 



D. coronata Wr. & Stud. 



