NO. 1658. ALCYONARIA OF THE CALIFORNIA^ COAST— NUTTING. QQQ 

 Genus STYLATULA Verrill. 



The plate of radiating spicules very large and conspicuous, the 

 ends of the spicules often projecting beyond the borders of the leaves 

 or pinnules. 



STYLATULA ELONGATA (Gabb). 



Plate LXXXVI, fig. 2. 

 Virgularia elongata Gabb, Proc. California Acad. Nat. Sci., II, 1863, p. 167. 



Complete colony measuring about 30 cm. in length, terminating 

 basally in a round or oval translucent bulb. 



All but a small median ventral strip of the rachis is concealed by 

 the modified leaves with their calyces. The whole colony is almost 

 exactly round in cross section. The axis is central, hard and stony, 

 about 2.5 mm. in diameter. 



The modified leaves closely embrace the rachis to which they are 

 extensively adherent by their inner edges, fitting around it like a col- 

 lar, and overlapping somewhat on the dorsal side. There are 12-16 

 stiff calcareous raylike stays projecting directly outward from each 

 leaf, and extending inward nearly to the axis. They lie on the lower 

 surface of the leaves which they support, are transparent and thorn- 

 like, and about 3 mm. in length. 



There are about 10 pairs of leaves to the inch, and owing to their 

 unusual position the polyps appear to be arranged in whorls around 

 the rachis. 



•The polyps are naked, vertical in position, standing on the upper 

 edges of the leaves. They are very closely crowded, so much so that 

 they sometimes appear to be in two ranks. They are really in a 

 single row, however, and there are from 20-24 in each row. The 

 individual polyps are small, tapering considerably at distal end, 

 greatly flattened below by mutual pressure, and about 2 mm. long. 



The zooids are very numerous and papillif orm, closely packed over 

 the whole surface of the rachis between the unattached portions of 

 the leaves and the rachis, but not visible without dissection, as they 

 are covered by the closely crowded leaves. 



The median ventral strip of the rachis is naked and di^tinctl}^ 

 grooved. 



There are no spicules, unless the thorny stays of the leaves may be 

 called highly modified spicules, which is doubtless the case. 



Color. — In life, light grayish brown, the soft swelling above the 

 end bulb salmon color, the polyps white. In alcohol the entire 

 colony is a very light brown, almost white. 



Distribution. — Station 4448, Point Pinos light-house S. 26° W. 3 

 miles, 46 fathoms; Station 4451, Point Pinos light-house S. 23° W. 

 3.2 miles, 52-54 fathoms; Station 4491, Santa Cruz light-house N. 51° 



