NO. 1923. DESCRIPTIONS OF PACIFIC ALCYONAKIA— NUTTING. 45 



Family KOPHOBELEMNONIDiE. 



Polyps in distinct rows or series on both sides of the rachis, large, 

 sessile, and not provided with calyces. Rachis elongated in com- 

 parison with the Umbellulidse. 



Genus KOPHOBELEMNON Absjornsen (modified). 

 Polyps not symmetrically in pairs; spicules abundant. 



KOPHOBELEMNON FERRUGINEUM Kolliker. 



Kophobelemnon ferrugineum Kolliker, Challenger Reports, the Pennatulida, 

 1880, p. 16. 



Colony 9.5 cm. in length, of which the stem is 4.7 cm. The end 

 bulb is evident and swollen in the form of a clavate knob. Greatest 

 diameter of stem, near distal end, 6 mm. ; between end bulb and 

 swelling, 4.5 mm,; end bulb, 7 mm. The rachis has a pointed 

 termination. 



The polyps are large, partially retractile, irregularly distributed on 

 the dorsal and lateral surfaces of the rachis, very much shrunken and 

 di.storted. The pol5rp bodies are almost entirely included or retracted 

 in the specimen. Visible wall, 3 mm. long, 4 mm. in diameter and 

 rudely corrugated vertically. The tentacles are 5 mm. long, each 

 having a dorsal ridge or sharply defined longitudinal crest, packed 

 with needles which are both longitudinal and criss-crossed, show- 

 ing as a white band and sending branches to dorsal surface of each 

 pinnule. 



There are about 18 pinnules on each side. The sides of the tenta- 

 cles, below pinnules, bear transverse needles, but the mid-ventral line 

 of the tentacles is almost free. 



Zooids: These are closely and evenly packed over the entire sur- 

 face of the rachis which is not occupied by polyps. They are com- 

 paratively large, conical, with their distal ends pointed outward and 

 upward, their walls filled with needles usually tending to a vertical 

 position. 



Color : The colony is grayish-brown, the inner sides of the tentacles 

 dusky brown. 



Spicules: The entire surface is packed with needles. 



Locality.— Sta,tion 4990; lat. 43° 40' N.; long. 140° 58' E.; 200 

 fathoms. 



Type-locality. — South of Yeddo, Japan, 345 fathoms. 



The specimen agrees fairly well with Kolhker's exceedingly brief 

 description. 



