NO. 1624. DESCRIPTIONS OF HAWAIIAN ALCYONARIA— NUTTING. 579 



CALYPTROPHORA VERSLUYSI, new species. 

 Plate XLIII, fig. 8. 



Colony incomplete, about 250 mm. high, flabellate in general form, 

 dividing near the base into four main branches, two of which remain 

 undivided, and the others again divide each into four branches, one 

 of which on each side gives oif branchlets from its inner side only, 

 the others being undivided or clichotomously branched. 



Calyces arranged in whorls of four, except at the extreme bases 

 of main branches, where there are six in a whorl, their opercula 

 turned basally. The whorls are about 6 mm. apart from base to base. 



Buccal pair of scales large, their distal ends with three to seven 

 (usually four) large, jagged, irregular teeth, forming a complete 

 ring. Basal scales with four (sometimes two) long slender spines, 

 the four seeming to arise from the splitting of the original two. The 

 spines vary greatly in younger specimens, the distal border of the 

 buccal scales being merely scalloped, and there are but two spines to 

 each basal scale. 



Oj)ercular scales eight, the abaxial and outer lateral being much 

 longer and more flattened than the other four, which they overlap 

 and almost conceal. 



A pair of very small, almost linear, cortex scales abut against and 

 overlap the basal scales on their proximal sides. 



The cortex scales are thin, elongated, and irregular in form. 



Color. — -General color white, the axis appearing gray as seen 

 through the cortex scales. The bare axis is a very dark brown, with 

 a coppery luster. 



This species is named in honor of J. Versluys, jr., the author of 

 the report on the Gorgonacea of the Sihoga expedition. 



Type.—Cdii. No. 25382, U.S.N.M., Albatross Station 400T, between 

 Honolulu and Kauai, 508-557 fathoms. 



Additional locality. — Off Kauai : Station 3997, 429 fathoms. 



Family MUKICEID^ Verrill. 



Axis horny. Polyps without a true operculum, with a collarette 

 of transverse spicules immediately below the tentacle bases. A 

 pseudo-operculum is formed by the spicules on the tentacles, when 

 the latter are folded. OEsophageal part of body wall without 

 spicules, and retractile within the basal portion, which has spicules. 



Genus ACANTHOGOJfGIA Gray (emended by Verrill). 



Calyces elongated, cylindrical, expanded distally. Body spicules 

 in eight longitudinal rows arranged en chevron^ margins armed with 

 eight bundles of sharp projecting spines. 



