374 THE GORGONIANS OF THE BRAZILIAN COAST. 



as in the West Indies, where about 100 new species of Alcyonaria were found 

 in such depths. 



About 24 species and named varieties are now recorded, but a few are very 

 superficially known. About 19 appear to be valid species, sufficiently described. 



Very few Alcyonaria of other subordinal groups have been recorded from 

 Brazil. The Pennatulacea are represented in the Bay of Rio de Janeiro by two 

 species or varieties of Renilla (R. violacea Q. and G., and R. dance Verrill, 1864), 

 and by Stylatula braziliensis (Gray) from off Cape Frio. 1 



The Telestidse are represented by Telesto rupicola (F. Muller). 



The apparent absence of representatives of the Alcyonacea is a remarkable 

 feature of the Brazilian fauna. They are also few in the West Indies and at 

 Panama, while in the Indo-Pacific fauna they are very abundant, large, and 



diversified. 



Professor C. F. Hartt mentions (op. cit., 1870) a soft "nodose alcy onarian ' ' 



as growing on the masonry of the Custom House Dock at Rio de Janeiro and 

 on rocks near Guarapary. No specimens were in the collection sent to me. 



Perhaps it was Telesto rupicola Mull. 



I am indebted to my son, Mr. Alpheus Hyatt Verrill, for the photographs and 



accurate drawings that illustrate this article. 



PECULIARITIES OF THE FAUNA. 



It is doubtful if any Brazilian species has been found elsewhere. Some 

 have formerly been recorded, probably erroneously, as from the West Indies: 

 for instance, Phyllogorgia quercifolia, one of the most common Brazilian species, 

 but not obtained in the West Indies by modern collectors. Others have been 

 erroneously identified with similar West Indian species without sufficient com- 

 parison. 



The affinities of the genera are, however, entirely with those of the West 

 Indies. This applies particularly to the genus Plexaurella, which has several 

 related species in each fauna and is rarely found elsewhere ; and to the restricted 

 genus Gorgonia, which has several West Indian species and three from Brazil, 

 but is not known to occur in any other fauna. The foliaceous species here 

 referred to Phyllogorgia are probably all Brazilian, but they are closely allied to 

 typical Gorgonia, although so different in appearance. 



The three Brazilian species of Muricea form a little group by themselves, DU 

 they are more related to West Indian species than to those of other regions. 



The total absence of many very common shallow water West Indian g ene ™. g 

 very striking, and though it may be due to some extent to scanty collecting, 

 can hardly explain the general fact. Among such lacking genera are r e 

 Plexauropsis, typical Eunicea, Euniceopsis, etc. . . f 



A remarkable peculiarity has been observed in the chemical composi 

 the axis of several species of otherwise typical Gorgonia and Leptogo y 



1 Kolliker, PennatuL, II, p. 227, pi. XVII, fig. 139, 1870. 





