18 PBOGEEDINaS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. vol. 43. 



Locality.— Station 5074; Omai Saki Light, S. 37.5° W., 6.4 miles; 

 47 fathoms. 



Type-specimen.— Cat. No. 30091, U.S.N.M. 



This species is not far from Spongodes pulcTira Thomson and 

 Henderson; but the stem and branch spicules are much larger, 

 and the color of the root processes is so striking that it would be 

 noted by any careful describer. 



DENDRONEPHTHYA OVIFORMIS, new species. 

 Plate 2, figs. 3, 3a; plate 17, fig. 6. 



Colony ovoid in shape, 3.1 cm. in height, and 2.9 cm. in diameter. 

 The stem is short and stout, being 1 .2 cm. in height and terminating 

 below in a small greenish mass of rootlets. The branches are flat- 

 tened and frilled plates emplanted in two whorls, the lower of which 

 projects outward and downward (thereby concealing most of the 

 stem in side view), while the upper extends outward and upward. 

 Each is divided into short flattened branchlets which bear the polyp 

 bundles. Each bundle consists of from three to eight polyps, a 

 common number being four. The branches of the upper whorl bear 

 branchlets on their surfaces ; these support bundles of polyps which 

 fill the upper rounded surface of the colony. 



The pedicels are usually quite short and stout for this genus, the 

 pedicel and polyp head together not averaging more than 1.8 mm. 

 in length. The pedicel wall is ornamented with curved red spindles 

 usually diagonally placed and sparsely distributed on the front and 

 sides, usually being transverse on the latter. The backs are strength- 

 ened by very large yellowish or pink spindles which are shghtly 

 curved and attain a length of 5 mm., projecting as much as 1.7 mm. 

 above the polyp head. The upper parts of the polyps bear small 

 red spindles arranged en chevron. Often several large spid&les form 

 a bundle with their points appressed and projecting nearly 2 mm. 

 beyond the margin. Besides these there are a number of spindle 

 ends forming a marginal crown, much as in Acanihogorgia. 



The dorsal surfaces of the infolded tentacles are armed with a 

 row of curved spiny spindles, placed transversely and curving to 

 fit the rounded surface of 'the tentacle. 



Spicules: The spicules of the polyps, twigs and branches are all 

 spindles, the larger ones being comparatively smooth, but bearing 

 very fine spines on their surfaces. They are usually more or less 

 curved, sometimes S-shaped. The bare parts of the stem bear 

 many minute oval or stellate spicules, and sometimes crosses. 



Color: The stem, branches, and pedicels are hght yellow. The 

 polyps are wliite, but this color is largely concealed by the pink or 

 scarlet spicules. The root is dark greenish. 



