76 VERRILL, SYNOPSIS OF 



few small, simple double-spindles, and rarely, small, irreg- 

 ular crosses. 



Plexaura differs in having long, acute spindles, some 

 of which are usually very large, mingled with others that 

 are much smaller, and small warty clubs. Plexaurella has 

 mostly rather small, warty double-spindles, mingled with 

 numerous warty crosses of similar size, with central naked 

 bands. 



EuPLEXAURA Capensis Vcrrill, sp. no v. 



Flexaura friabilis Verrill, Vol. IV, p. 186; {pars) Lamoiiroux? 



This is not the P. friabilis of Edw. and Haime, Duch. 

 and Michelotti, Kolliker, and other modern writers, and 

 may not have been known to Lamouroux. It is probable, 

 however, that he confounded more than one species under 

 that name, and his East Indian specimens may be this 

 species. As the name is generally given to a West Indian 

 Plexaura, it seems best to give a new one to this. 



Spicula small, mostly short, oval or oblong, and crowd- 

 edly covered with large, very rough warts, which are 

 mostly dilated and echinulate at the summits. Others are 

 similar, but shorter, and approach the form of wart}^ 

 heads. Others approach the form of short, thick double- 

 spindles, with two wreaths of large rough warts near the 

 middle, and a terminal cluster of smaller ones at each 

 end. Occasionally there are compound cross-spicula, 

 about as broad as long, the ends thickly covered with 

 large, very rough warts, and rather obtuse or truncated. 



The stout spicula measure .204 millimetres by .108 mil- 

 limetres ; .18,0 by .108; .180 by .096; .180 by .084; .168 

 by. 096; .156 by. 096; .144 by .108; .144 by .096. 

 The stout double-spindles .156 by .108; .144 by .072; 

 .132 by .096 .120 by .072. The crosses .120 by .120; 

 .144 by .108. Heads .144 by .108. 



PRIMNOIDaE. 



The recent discovery of several genera intermediate 

 between Muricea and Primnoa (^JEchinogorgia, Paramu- 

 ricea, Acts, Thesea, etc.) renders it necessary to unite the 



